Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum

Wings Over the Rockies is the museum that wins over kids who think they do not like museums, and plenty of adults too. It fills Hangar No. 1 at the former Lowry Air Force Base, now a leafy neighborhood east of downtown, with dozens of aircraft and spacecraft that you can walk around, under and sometimes into. The collection spans the history of flight: a Douglas B-18 Bolo bomber from the run-up to the Second World War, a Grumman F-14A Tomcat, an AV-8B Harrier jump jet on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum, a Bell UH-1 Huey helicopter, a Soviet-built MiG-23, a replica of the Little Boy atomic bomb, a model of the Dream Chaser spaceplane and, the crowd favorite, a full-size replica of a Star Wars X-Wing fighter. Space and aviation galleries add exhibits on Colorado's large aerospace industry and its astronauts, and the museum's flight simulators and virtual-reality experiences, sold as add-ons, let kids and adults try a takeoff and landing. The museum is open every day, and the hangar setting is part of the appeal: Lowry trained generations of airmen and served as a summer White House during the Eisenhower years, and the big open floor gives the aircraft room to breathe. A second site, the Exploration of Flight campus at Centennial Airport south of the city, focuses on hands-on aviation learning and opens on Saturdays only. For most visitors, the Lowry hangar is the one to choose: easy to reach, rarely crowded, and engaging for two to three hours. Admission is moderately priced, and the museum is one of the attractions on the Denver CityPASS, which helps if you are already planning the zoo and the nature museum.

Lowry Air Force Base was a cornerstone of Denver's twentieth-century growth. It trained bombardiers, mechanics and technicians during the Second World War, later hosted early missile and space-related programs, and was where President Eisenhower spent working vacations, earning it a place in the history of the presidency. When the base closed in the 1990s, the land became a planned neighborhood of homes, parks and schools, and the museum moved into the grand old hangar, keeping a strong link to the airmen who served there. Many of the volunteers are veterans and retired aviation professionals, and asking them about the aircraft is one of the best parts of a visit.

Start with a lap of the main hangar floor to get your bearings, then slow down at the aircraft that interest you most; cockpit and seat displays are periodically open for climbing in, and special events bring additional access. The space gallery is the place to talk about Colorado's role in modern spaceflight, from satellites to spacecraft built by companies along the Front Range. If you plan to try the simulators, buy those experiences early in the visit, since slots can fill on weekends and school holidays. The museum shop is well stocked with models and kits, and the shops and restaurants of the surrounding Lowry neighborhood are close by for lunch.

This is the strongest bad-weather plan in Denver for families, and it suits aviation buffs at any age. It is less of a fit for travelers with only a weekend and no particular interest in aircraft, who will get more from Red Rocks or the Golden Triangle museums. Parking is easy around the hangar, and the museum is about fifteen minutes from downtown by car. Check the events calendar before you go: the museum hosts aviation talks, family festivals and themed nights, and hours occasionally change for private events. Grown-up aviation fans should look out for the evening lecture series and adult-only events, which are a relaxed way to see the hangar without the school-holiday crowds.