Air Zoo in Kalamazoo
 

We just happened across this place on our way to the Gilmore. It’s the best air and space museum ive been to outside the USAF museum. It is a beautiful facility, not huge but really well done. There is enough kid stuff to keep the young ones happy and plenty of interesting exhibits for adults, plus an impressive collection of aircraft. They play the video, “Heroes on Deck” every couple of hours and have one of the planes that was pulled out of Lake Michigan and kind of restored. I recommend it if you are ever in southern Michigan.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=asLKPnOqkGs

and parking is free plus they have an SR-71 Blackbird there and you can actually touch it. Faster than a 30-06 bullet, I go 3 or 4 times in the summer just to touch the bird.

Rich

I hadn't realized they kicked it up a notch ten years ago, been 25 years since I've been there.

Will have to go this summer for sure, it's just a day trip for me but will likely make a weekend out of it.

When you go you really need to go to the “overflow hanger” where they are actually restoring aircraft and you can get up close to all the pieces layed out. Super cool.

You might like the annual EAA week in Oshkosh. The warbird flight line is a religious experience for me.

Yankee Air Museum | Where History Takes Flight near Ann Arbor in SE Michigan.
I volunteered a long time ago but haven't been there recently.
Not a huge selection of planes after the horrible fire, but Thunder Over Michigan 2018 Airshow - Willow Run Airport MI airshow is a huge once in a lifetime mecca.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Aviation_(Warner_Robins) in central Georgia has a nice clean large exhibits but the interior lighting is somewhat dark.

Hoosier Air Museum - Home in Auburn Indiana is small but there are other nice museums to keep ya busy for at least the day.

That looks very cool, but the winner for me was this one in Seattle...

Home | The Museum of Flight

Before I had kids Oshkosh was an annual pilgrimage for me, stopped going around 84 or 85. My brother carries on the tradition.
On my bucket list is hitting the one in I believe it's Evergreen Oregon to see and stand in the Spruce Goose ( Hughes hated the name as there's no spruce in it ). The XB-70 in
Ohio is worth a Look.

Rich