Visit the Museum at MÁlaga Airport
The Málaga Airport Museum (El Museo Nacional de Aeropuertos y Transporte Aéreo) is worth a visit whether you love airplanes, airports, local history or simply getting a glimpse inside a project 100% made-in-Málaga by a group of passionate, "Friends of the Museum" who are always dreaming up new exhibits and restoring new artifacts for display.
When can you visit the museum?
The museum is open every day except Mondays:
Tuesday to Sunday 10.00-14.00
Tuesdays 16.00-20.00
Holidays except Thursday and Friday of Holy Week, December 25 and January 1.
Where is the museum?
At the airport follow the signs to the General Aviation Terminal. The museum is right next door. The access road leads from the roundabout on the ground (not elevated) level oposite the access to the MalagaCar.com and other car hire and parking garages. You can also describe it as being behind the San Miguel factory next to (but without direct access) the MA-21 (old N340 coast road).
What can you see and experience at the MÁlaga Airport Museum?
If you know a bit of airport history before you visit the museum, then you’ll be pleased to enter the original terminal building that served Málaga from 1948 until 1968. Today the building is filled with artifacts that pay tribute to the history of air transport in Málaga. This starts at original the check in counter as you enter the facilities. Now it is staffed by mannequins, but they do their jobs well.
You can wander through this building exploring the exhibits and even visiting the old control tower to inspect the old fashioned light signaling system and enjoy the rather limited views air traffic controllers enjoyed in the good old days – compared with modern control towers.
There is also a room full of hands-on displays for children (and the young at heart) with exhibits such as radar simulators, motors, satellites in orbit and a machine for “practicing” Morse code.
Thanks to the Friends of the Museum, there is also a home-made flight simulator on site. This is your chance to discover what it’s like to pilot a Boeing 737. The simulator is located near the museum reception area and may require prior permission to use.
The museum also has a new wing full of airplane paraphernalia that has been restored by the Friends of the Museum. There is also a special facility designed to receive school visits – and in 2011 the museum received student number 10,000.
Among planes restored by the Friends of the museum are a Convair 440-75 that was part of the SAS Airlines fleet in 1958, a DC-3 and a DC-9 from Iberia Airlines, a small Beechcraft that served the Moroccan Royal family and was restored in 1999, a Wasmer WA-40 Super IV, a De Havilland and a Dornier.
For more information about the Málaga Airport Museum, ring 952 048 176. You can also e-mail (in English or Spanish) [email protected].
