xoxo,

angela R.

I completely agree – this museum is definitely a hidden treasure!!!

I am a huge history buff and we just got back from a Florida trip whose intention it was for my, my wife, and my two small children to see the treasures in the greater Pensacola area. Of course, we were aiming for the National Museum of Naval Aviation where we spent significant time, and the USS Alabama memorial park in Mobile, both of which were very impressive. But the Air Force Armament Museum was a hidden treasure, very different from the other two. The “first lady” was indeed the centerpiece, although there are other interesting exhibits that abound. Did you crawl into the cockpit of the B-52? I would not recommend that as it required contortions, but it was interesting nonetheless.

While looking it up my expectations were very moderate because the vibe I got was that it lives in the shadow of the Naval Air Museum which is by far much better funded. Yet this museum is a special little treasure. That executive guy, George Jones, is quite a character. He spent quite a bit of time with us as well, taking us into more than a few of his airplanes, and made a few exceptions. Sadly others like the B-25 and B-17 basically are stripped down and not even safe to walk inside, but the museum harbors many interesting artifacts and exhibits. Its lower level of funding and focused nature may lead many people to assume it could indeed be a snooze fest, or simply less interesting than what it is, but with a tour from the exec and an open mind, we were really impressed. If anything, the exec was so effusive and good with the kids that I got to have a special, “behind the scenes” guided tour (which I always try to take at these kinds of museums) WITH my children in tow, and that’s saying something!

Glad to know someone else enjoyed this hidden jewel as much as we did.

These are great photos.

Beautiful line!

I’ve been thinking for a long time about hoarding. I love collecting and saving things, whether practical or mementos. Similarly, I love “collecting” people and knowing all their whereabouts and their contact info. I wonder if most “thing hoarders” are also “people hoarders.”

I hope you get to collect them again. =)