South Manchester, Avro and the airport
Avro Heritage Museum → Runway Visitor Park, Manchester Airport
Woodford in the morning, then round to Ringway for the afternoon arrivals; the builders, then the airliners.
Distances are straight-line miles from Manchester city centre; roads add a quarter to a half. Prices are adult admission from the gazetteer survey.
Nearest first
Aviation museums within 30 miles of Manchester
| Museum | Miles | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runway Visitor Park, Manchester AirportAltrincham, Greater Manchester | 9.0 | £6–£15 | 5 | Concorde G-BOAC, British Airways' flagship (the 'OAC' registration was no accident), enthroned in her own glass hangar with tours from… |
| Avro Heritage MuseumStockport, Greater Manchester | 10.7 | £9 | 14 | Vulcan XM603 — the only all-white Vulcan on display anywhere, in original anti-flash nuclear livery — plus walk-in Lancaster and Nimrod… |
| RAF Burtonwood Heritage CentreWarrington, Cheshire | 16.4 | Donation | 1 | RAF Burtonwood was the biggest airbase in Europe — the US 'Home from Home' depot that fixed the Eighth's aircraft; its heritage centre… |
| Speke Aerodrome Heritage GroupLiverpool, Merseyside | 27.9 | Free | 7 | Speke Airport Museum — Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group keeps airliners, including a Dan-Air 748 under restoration, on Liverpool's gorgeous… |
From the city
Days out from Manchester
The Avro Heritage Museum is 11 miles south at Woodford, on the old flight-test aerodrome where Lancasters, Vulcans and Nimrods were finished. Further out, RAF Burtonwood near Warrington tells the story of the huge USAAF depot. Speke, the 1930s Liverpool terminal, sits just inside the 30-mile line.
West along the M62
RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre → Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group
Burtonwood off junction 9, then on to Speke; two wartime airfields on the road to Liverpool.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is the nearest aviation museum to Manchester?
Runway Visitor Park, Manchester Airport. It is about 9 miles south of the city centre, at the airport.
Is there a free aviation museum near Manchester?
Yes. Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group (about 28 miles) is free to enter in our July 2026 price snapshot. RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre asks for a donation.
What is the best aviation museum near Manchester?
For aircraft, the Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford, staffed partly by people who built them. For a family day with boarding and spotting, the Runway Visitor Park at the airport.