Palm Springs Air Museum

What Palm Springs Air Museum does

Palm Springs Air Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit living history aviation museum established in 1994 and headquartered at 745 North Gene Autry Trail in Palm Springs, California. The museum preserves, exhibits, and flies a collection of more than 80 vintage military airframes spanning World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terror, and claims to be home to one of the world's largest collections of flyable WWII aircraft. The core product portfolio is anchored by the aircraft collection itself, presented in climate-controlled hangars with no ropes that allow direct visitor interaction, supplemented by weekend warbird flight experiences (starting at $250 per person), a weekly Open Cockpit program ($5 per adult), a full aircraft restoration program (notably a three-year restoration of Walt Disney's Grumman Gulfstream I), and an extensive education suite including the SOAR Summer Camp, School and Youth Tours, the First Flight Program, the Ronald M Auen Learning Center, and the Price Young Science Professionals Scholarship.

The museum operates a diversified, consumer-direct revenue model spanning seven streams: daily admission fees, warbird ride bookings, annual memberships, donations (Tax ID #33-0615350), gift shop and web store merchandise sales, private event rentals (including the General Miles Hangar), and adult group tours. Distribution is primarily regional through a single physical location open daily 10am–5pm, with e-commerce extending the merchandise and gift-certificate reach globally. Marketing is multi-channel — website, Constant Contact email, Instagram (@psairmuseum), YouTube streaming, signature events (Annual Gala, Memorial Day Flower Drop, Chili Cook-Off, Props & Hops Craft Beer Festival, Snowtopia), and earned media including a TripAdvisor Travelers Choice 2023 and four Emmy nominations for the documentary 'Voices of Valor: World War II Heroes In Their Own Words.'

The museum serves four primary customer segments — schools and families, aviation enthusiasts, veterans and military families, and corporate/private event clients — with veteran docents serving as the primary interpretive layer. Recent strategic activity centers on exhibit additions (F-117 Stealth Fighter, DARKSTAR from TOPGUN: Maverick, the completed Disney Grumman Gulfstream I), commemorative partnerships (America's Freedom Tribute traveling Vietnam Wall), and media production (Emmy-nominated documentary), signaling ongoing investment in expanding program prestige, education, and brand reach.

Name

Palm Springs Air Museum

Legal name

Palm Springs Air Museum

Website

https://PSAirMuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Palm Springs Air Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit living history aviation museum in Palm Springs, California, operating since 1994. It houses 80+ flyable vintage military aircraft from WWII through the Global War on Terror, offering warbird rides, educational programs, commemorative events, and a high-profile restoration program serving visitors, schools, veterans, and aviation enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Museum / Living History Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Aircraft (3721)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Aviation Experiences (Charters, Scenic Flights, Helicopter Tours) (THAJALAF), Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours (TLAFACAD)

Keywords

• Aviation museum
• Military aircraft preservation
• Warbird flight experiences
• Aviation education programs
• Living history exhibits

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Daily admission fees charged to visitors for museum access. Adults, children, seniors, and military personnel admitted at various rates.
2. Warbird Rides: Fee-based flight experiences in authentically restored WWII aircraft over the scenic Coachella Valley. Rides start at $250 and are offered every weekend.
3. Memberships: Annual memberships providing free admission for a year, reduced guest admission, and discounts in the gift shop.
4. Donations: Direct donations accepted, with all funds going toward maintaining the facility and keeping warbirds in the air. Non Profit Tax ID #33-0615350.
5. Gift Shop and Web Store: E-commerce sales of merchandise including commemorative items, apparel, and warbird ride certificates.
6. Event Rentals: Private event bookings for corporate events, celebrations, and special occasions at the museum facility.
7. Group Tours: Adult group tours offered with specialized guided experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Palm Springs Air Museum is a nonprofit living history museum that preserves, exhibits, and flies vintage military aircraft from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terror, with a good portion of its 80-plus airframes maintained in flyable condition. Its core offerings include paid museum admission, weekend warbird flight rides over the Coachella Valley starting at $250, a weekly Open Cockpit Experience, aircraft restoration services, K-12 and youth education programs, signature events, memberships, and private event rentals. Revenue is supported by an e-commerce gift shop, donations (Tax ID #33-0615350), and community programming.

Product overview

Palm Springs Air Museum is a nonprofit living history museum — not a unified software product but a portfolio of interconnected programs and services centered around its world-class aircraft collection. The core offering is the Aircraft Collection, one of the world's largest assemblies of flyable WWII, Korean, Vietnam, and Global War on Terror aircraft. Complementing this are Warbird Rides (experience flights in restored WWII aircraft), Aircraft Restoration Services (bringing historic aircraft back to flyable condition), and the Open Cockpit Experience (Saturday cockpit access for visitors). The museum's educational arm spans SOAR Summer Camp, School and Youth Tours, the Ronald M Auen Learning Center, First Flight Program/Inspiration One, and the Price Young Science Professionals Scholarship. Community engagement is delivered through Signature Events (Gala, Memorial Day Flower Drop, Chili Cook-Off/Car Show, Props & Hops Craft Beer Festival, Snowtopia), Vietnam POW/MIA Bracelet Display, Commemorative Bricks, and PSAM Pipe Band. Supporting offerings include Membership, Event Rentals (using the General Miles Hangar), Cafe, and a Web Store. The museum recently restored Walt Disney's Grumman Gulfstream I to permanent display and received its fourth Emmy nomination for the documentary 'Voices of Valor: WWII Heroes In Their Own Words.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Museum Admission Paid daily access to climate-controlled hangars exhibiting over 80 vintage military airframes from WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terror, with no ropes or barriers between visitors and aircraft. Open 10am–5pm, with tiered pricing for adults, children, seniors, and military personnel.
• Warbird Rides Fee-based flight experiences in authentically restored WWII aircraft over the scenic Coachella Valley, offered every weekend for individual consumers and aviation enthusiasts.
• Open Cockpit Experience Weekly Saturday experience where selected aircraft are opened so visitors can sit at the controls, with museum volunteer docents providing historical context for $5 per adult.
• Aircraft Restoration Services Comprehensive aircraft restoration program returning historic military aircraft to flyable condition, exemplified by the three-year restoration of Walt Disney's Grumman Gulfstream I to original 1960s condition.
• Education Programs Portfolio of K-12 and youth aviation education offerings including the SOAR (Science of Aviation and Rocketry) Summer Camp, School and Youth Tours, Ronald M Auen Learning Center, First Flight Program/Inspiration One, Price Young Science Professionals Scholarship, and curriculum-aligned teacher resources such as WWII and Women in Aviation study guides.
• SOAR Summer Camp Youth summer camp focused on the Science of Aviation and Rocketry (SOAR), held at the museum to introduce children to aviation and aerospace principles.
• Membership Program Annual membership program providing free admission for a year, reduced guest admission rates, and discounts in the gift shop; also available as an Educator Membership for teachers.
• Event Rentals Private venue rental service for corporate events, celebrations, and special occasions, leveraging the museum facility including the General Miles Hangar.
• Adult Group Tours Organized adult group tour program with specialized guided experiences through the museum's aircraft collection and exhibits.
• Signature Events Annual signature fundraising and community events including the Gala, Memorial Day Flower Drop, Chili Cook-Off/Car Show, Props & Hops Craft Beer Festival, and Snowtopia, designed to drive attendance and donations.
• Aircraft Collection (Permanent Exhibits) Permanent exhibit of over 80 vintage military airframes, including one of the world's largest collections of flyable WWII aircraft plus Korean War, Vietnam War, and Global War on Terror aircraft, including the F-117 Stealth Fighter in The Jim Houston Pavilion.
• Darkstar from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Exhibit Limited-time exhibit of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works DARKSTAR prop from TOPGUN: Maverick, on display in the museum's climate-controlled hangars, accompanied by a special lecture from a Skunk Works designer.
• America's Freedom Tribute / Vietnam Wall Replica Display Traveling exhibit hosting program featuring an 80% scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Cost of Freedom Tribute, in partnership with America's Freedom Tribute veteran-owned nonprofit.
• Vietnam POW/MIA Bracelet Display Permanent exhibit honoring Vietnam POW/MIA service members through commemorative bracelets, paired with annual POW/MIA Recognition Nights.
• Commemorative Bricks Program Tribute donor program allowing individuals to purchase commemorative bricks honoring veterans while supporting museum operations.
• Expedition Amelia 2025 Special historical expedition program focused on Amelia Earhart research and exploration, conducted in 2025.
• First Flight Program / Inspiration One Youth-focused aviation inspiration program introducing young people to flight, aviation careers, and aerospace pathways.
• Web Store and Gift Shop Online (shop.palmspringsairmuseum.org) and on-site retail store selling warbird ride certificates, gift items, educator materials, museum-branded merchandise, and accepting donations.
• Museum Cafe On-site cafe serving food and beverages to museum visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 vintage airframes preserved and exhibited
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• America's Freedom TributeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 February 2026America's Freedom Tribute, a veteran-owned non-profit organization, partnered with the museum to display an 80% scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (350 feet long, 8 feet tall) featuring 58,307 names of U.S. soldiers killed during the Vietnam War, alongside the Cost of Freedom Tribute honoring sacrifices from WWI through recent conflicts.
• Phoenix Air GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia-based Phoenix Air Group assisted in the reassembly and exterior work on Walt Disney's restored Grumman Gulfstream I (Mickey Mouse One) aircraft at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
• Walt Disney ImagineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalt Disney Imagineering assisted in the reassembly and exterior work on Walt Disney's restored Grumman Gulfstream I aircraft, contributing expertise to the three-year restoration project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor: Hawaii-based aviation museum housing WWII-era aircraft, battle-damaged artifacts, and exhibits on Pacific theater aviation. Comparable mix of static/flyable aircraft, veteran-led storytelling, and education/donor-supported nonprofit operations.
• Frontiers of Flight Museum: Dallas-area aviation museum featuring WWII and Cold War-era aircraft plus STEM/aviation education programming for schools. Comparable in scale and target audience — regional nonprofit aviation museum with education and community-event revenue.
• Intrepid Museum: New York City museum aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid featuring military aircraft, restoration facilities, and veteran-led programming. Comparable mix of military aviation preservation, immersive exhibits, and donor-supported museum operations.
• National WWII Museum: New Orleans-based WWII-focused living history museum with restored aircraft, immersive exhibits, and educational programming. Closest direct peer — both institutions monetize WWII aviation heritage through admissions, premium experiences, education, and donor-supported operations.
• Museum of Flight: Seattle-based aviation museum with one of the largest air and space collections in the U.S., including flyable and static military aircraft. Comparable breadth of WWII/cold-war aircraft, education programs, and event-rental revenue.
• Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum: Denver-based aviation museum operating in a former Lowry AFB hangar, featuring historic military and civilian aircraft plus STEM education programs. Direct peer in museum-format aviation preservation with education-driven revenue.
• Collings Foundation: Nonprofit operating the Wings of Freedom Tour, offering flight experiences in restored WWII bombers and fighter aircraft alongside living-history programming. Highly comparable business model: warbird rides, educational outreach, and donor-supported preservation.
• Commemorative Air Force (CAF): Network of aviation units preserving and flying WWII-era warbirds across the U.S., offering warbird rides, hangar tours, and living-history events. Directly comparable mission of maintaining flyable WWII aircraft and monetizing flight experiences for aviation enthusiasts.

Regional players

• EAA Aviation Museum: Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based aviation museum operated by the Experimental Aircraft Association, focused on general and warbird aviation. Comparable preservation and warbird-flight mission, but centered on EAA AirVenture's Midwest audience rather than the Southern California tourism market.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Federally operated national aviation museum with a vastly larger collection of historic aircraft and space artifacts. Broader incumbent: not a direct niche competitor but anchors public expectations for aviation museums and competes for donor attention in WWII/aviation-heritage philanthropy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PalmSpringsAirMuseum/streams
• Instagraminstagram.com/psairmuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/PalmSpringsAirMuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palm Springs Air Museum