A46 north-east
Newark Air Museum → Cranwell Aviation Heritage Museum
Newark in the morning, then 14 miles on to Cranwell; a big collection, then the RAF College story.
Distances are straight-line miles from Nottingham 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 Nottingham
| Museum | Miles | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hucknall Flight Test MuseumNottingham, Nottinghamshire | 5.2 | By appointment | 3 | Hucknall Flight Test Museum, on the aerodrome where Rolls-Royce flew testbeds from 1934 (and hoisted the Flying Bedstead into history),… |
| East Midlands AeroparkDerby, Leicestershire | 11.6 | £5 | 35 | East Midlands Aeropark: a Vulcan, Nimrod R1 and Buccaneer parked on grassy mounds overlooking EMA's runway — half museum, half premier… |
| Rolls Royce Heritage TrustDerby, Derbyshire | 13.6 | By appointment | 1 | The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust's Derby collection: the jet engine's family tree in the metal, from Eagle to Trent, toured by people who… |
| Newark Air MuseumNewark, Nottinghamshire | 19.2 | £12.50 | 95 | Vulcan XM594, with cockpit tours occasionally given by former Vulcan aircrew, which reviewers describe with the reverence normally… |
| Cranwell Aviation Heritage MuseumSleaford, Lincolnshire | 28.6 | Free | 2 | Cranwell Aviation Heritage Museum: the RAF College story (and Whittle's jet experiments here) told free, small and interactively — a… |
From the city
Days out from Nottingham
The strongest collection in range is Newark Air Museum, 19 miles north-east along the A46, with 90-plus aircraft on the former RAF Winthorpe. The Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust in Derby is by appointment. Cranwell's free museum sits right on the 30-mile line.
Rolls-Royce country
Hucknall Flight Test Museum → Rolls Royce Heritage Trust
Book both ahead; Hucknall testing, then Derby engine building, half an hour apart.
Airport afternoon
East Midlands Aeropark
Down the A453 to Castle Donington; the Aeropark pairs with spotting on the runway.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is the nearest aviation museum to Nottingham?
Hucknall Flight Test Museum. It is about 5 miles north, up the A611; visits are pre-booked.
Is there a free aviation museum near Nottingham?
Yes. Cranwell Aviation Heritage Museum (about 29 miles) is free to enter in our July 2026 price snapshot.
What is the biggest aviation museum near Nottingham?
Newark Air Museum, about 19 miles north-east off the A46. It has more than 90 aircraft and cockpits on a former RAF bomber-training airfield.