There are plenty of museums in Tucson, Arizona, from art museums to history museums. How about the ones that specialize in a particular subject, though?
Well, those can be found in Tucson as well! From automobiles to aircraft, there's something for everybody. Speciality museums are so amazing because they allow the visitor to broaden their knowledge on a specialized subject, letting them delve into the true depth of the topic and learn all the details.
In this article, we're going to have a look at some of the speciality museums that focus on transportation, in particular aircraft and automobiles, and that you can find in Tucson.
Ready? Go!
Pima Air and Space Museum
In the first place, we have the Pima Air and Space Museum, which is a fantastic place for anyone interested in aircraft. In 1966, there was apparently a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the creation of the United States Air Force, and during this celebration, the idea to found this museum came to be.
The museum then opened in 1976 in Tucson. In the museum, you can find over 125 thousand artifacts and 400 aircraft! Pima Air and Space Museum is actually the largest aviation museum in the whole wide world, which is pretty cool if you ask me.
The official website of the Pima Air and Space Museum says:
"The museum attracts more than 170,000 visitors annually, and houses its own aircraft restoration shop. The Pima Air and Space Museum also offers exclusive tours of the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Known as the “Boneyard,” it is the world’s largest military aircraft storage facility."
There are many exhibits in the museum, for example "Aerospace Gallery", "390th Memorial Museum" or "Main Hangar Exhibits".
If you'd like to visit this great speciality museum in Tucson, the one-day ticket costs 16.50 dollars per adult, 13.25 dollars per Pima County resident, 13.75 per active military and senior, and 10 dollars per child between the ages of 5-12.
You can find the museum at 6000 E Valencia Rd in Tucson.
Franklin Auto Museum
Rated as number 18 out of 335 things to do in Tucson on Tripadvisor, the Franklin Auto Museum is quite a popular attraction in Tucson.
The museum was founded by Thomas Hubbard, and nowadays, it's maintained by the Thomas H. Hubbard/H.H. Franklin Foundation. The mission of the museum is to continue the Franklin automobiles collection of Thomas Hubbard and to show the visitor the company's production throughout the years.
What's more, you can also join the H. H. Franklin Club, Inc.! The official website of the club claims:
"The H. H. Franklin Club, Inc. is a non-profit membership organization devoted to the preservation and exploration of the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company history and its effects on the history of the automobile. The H.H. Franklin Manufacturing Company of Syracuse, NY built America's most successful air-cooled automobile, with its first innovative air-cooled motorcar in 1902 and continued production until 1934. Of the 150,000 Franklins built between 1902 and 1934, it's estimated that about 3,700 have survived."
If you're not interested in being a part of the club and you'd just like to visit the museum in order to discover more about this subject, don't hesitate and head to 1405 East Kleindale Road in Tucson. The museum is open Wednesday-Saturday between 10 AM and 4 PM.
The price of a ticket is 10 dollars per adult, 8 dollars per senior, 5 dollars per student, and children under 12 can visit the Franklin Auto Museum in Tucson for free.
Final Thoughts
Tucson is full of amazing transportation museums, and it would be a shame to miss out on the Franklin Auto Museum as well as the Pima Air and Space Museum. If you're interested in transportation and you've just found yourself in Tucson, Arizona, these museums might be the perfect places to visit!