Illinois Aviation Museum

Illinois Aviation Museum

Tucked into Hangar One at Bolingbrook’s Clow International Airport, the Illinois Aviation Museum is a hands-on, family-friendly tribute to flight. Committed to educating, preserving, and promoting aviation through community involvement, this all-volunteer museum lets visitors get up close with historic aircraft, military jets, and flight simulators — all with free admission.

The museum traces its grassroots beginning to 2001, when four aviation enthusiasts — Tim Tocwish, Ray Jakubiak, Steve Meyers, and Joe DePaulo — sat down for lunch with a shared vision: to create a place for the community to explore aviation and the sciences at Clow Airport. At the time, the airport was home to Packer Wings, a philanthropic group that built a replica of the Wright Flyer now displayed at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. As the fledgling museum grew, it took over the entire hangar it still occupies today, and in 2004 incorporated as a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Today the museum houses a collection of roughly 17 unique aircraft along with aviation artifacts and memorabilia. Highlights include the forward fuselage of a T-33 jet trainer, a vintage Link Trainer, and aircraft built by the museum’s own volunteers, including a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer and a replica Fokker E.III. Flight simulators give visitors of all ages a chance to take the controls, making it a great place to spark an interest in aviation and the sciences.

Sitting on the grounds of an active general-aviation airport — which also hosts a flight school — the museum offers a genuine airfield atmosphere. Each year the airport hosts the popular Cavalcade of Planes, a family airshow featuring static displays and flying aircraft. For riders, families, and anyone curious about flight, the Illinois Aviation Museum is an easy and rewarding stop in the southwest Chicago suburbs.

Highlights

• Free general admission — a great weekend outing for the whole family.
• A collection of roughly 17 unique aircraft, plus artifacts and memorabilia.
• Forward fuselage of a T-33 jet trainer and a historic Link Trainer.
• Volunteer-built aircraft including a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer and a replica Fokker E.III.
• Flight simulators visitors can try.
• Located on an active airport that hosts the annual Cavalcade of Planes airshow.

Visiting

The museum is located in Hangar One at Clow International Airport, 130 S. Clow International Parkway, Bolingbrook, IL 60490. General visiting hours are Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., with free admission. Guided group tours are available by appointment and take roughly 1–2 hours; a suggested donation of $5.00 per person helps cover operating costs for this volunteer-run museum. The facility is handicap-friendly and welcomes those with special needs.

For current hours, tour bookings, and event schedules, visit illinoisaviationmuseum.org.

Good to Know Before You Go

1. General hours are Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. — confirm before visiting, as a volunteer-run schedule can change.
2. Admission is free; donations support the museum’s operations and programs.
3. Guided group tours are by appointment, accommodate up to 30 people, and carry a suggested $5.00 per-person donation.
4. Guided tours have a minimum age requirement of 8 years old.
5. The facility is handicap-friendly and accessible to those with special needs.
6. The museum sits on an active airport — follow all posted signs and staff direction around aircraft.

Find more venues here: https://www.illinipowersports.com/all-venues-listings/

Find more info about the Illinois Aviation Museum here: https://illinoisaviationmuseum.org/