The Shannon Aviation Museum, located in Shannon in County Clare, Ireland, is one of the most prominent aviation museums in Ireland and one of the top visitor attractions in the area, having received the Tourist Attraction of the Year 2024 award at the Irish Hospitality Awards.
Founded in 2007, the museum was brought to fruition from the initial ideas of the late Eddie Ryan and Jane Magill with aims to chart, preserve and celebrate the history of aviation in Ireland together with showcasing the 100 year history of the Irish Air Corps and serving as an interactive learning hub featuring a variety of vintage and more modern aircraft with a growing collection of types.
The museum has a wide and interesting variety of aircraft on display, aside from the Irish Air Corps on display in the new hall, a number of civilian and military aircraft can found on display outside, ranging from a Piper PA-28 to a Blackburn Buccaneer and a number of aircraft cockpits.
A new wing of the museum was officially opening in September 2022, dedicated to the Irish Air Corps 100th anniversary with this part of the exhibition housing a Cessna 172, Fouga Magister and SIAI-Marchetti SF.260, all formerly operated by the Air Corps. A large number of displays and artifacts are also on display.
For the younger visitors, the Signature Aviation Discovery Tour provides the opportunity to dress in flights suits and learn about the basics of flight and how aircraft are able to fly. A former Canadian Airlines Boeing 737-200 cockpit, C-GAPW, forms the basis for an interactive flight simulator, containing many original parts to provide a realistic experience.
At the time of our visit, the museum was in the process of receiving the aircraft exhibits on loan from the Irish Air Corps museum at Casement Airfield, those having arrived placed in secure covered storage until such time as the museum is able to expand its covered display areas.
The museum is open Thursday to Sunday, 10am -4pm, with detailed museum tours available 2pm each day.
We would like to give our thanks to Jane and the team at the museum for their assistance during our visit.
© South West Aviation Photographers 2024