Koedrick
Went to the Tuskegee Historic site today and it was such a nice place. Really nice movie presentation with people who lived it. Then seeing the planes they flied while making such a huge impact on American History...really nice. You can hardly even tell that it is a historic site, until you go inside.
calliesk@yahoo.com
This was a great attraction once we found. We had a hard time finding site coming from Columbus, GA especially since location not being well marked and online directions were only from Montgomery or Atlanta. This is a great site especially history buffs and members in the military. We were pleasantly surprised because we only allowed an hour just travelling though however stayed longer because of interesting history and displays.
dnumme
Even though I previously learning about the Tuskegee Airmen, it was wonderful to see where they trained. The movies and hands on exhibits were a good combination for different learning styles.
SusanK192
We stopped here and were very impressed with the displays plus layout. Easily walkable for anyone and handicap accessible. They are expanding so would make a trip back.
Raybees53
I enjoyed visiting the Tuskegee Airmen historic site. It brought back memories of the movie Redtails. It was like a walk back in time.
carolinasunshine13
I first traveled through Tuskegee in 1993 when in route to another destination; 21 years ago, we stopped at the Air Field to see where the famed Tuskegee Airmen conducted their training. Back then, there was no historical marker, historical plaque, etc. Had someone local not revealed where the field, hangar, etc. was, one would never know.As such, imagine my thrill and joy last week to find the National Park Service has finally created a historical site worthy of recognizing the men who trained and served here.The field is just of I-85, so there is easy access to the site (which is also clearly marked). There is a large parking lot, and the history lesson begins there. There are several historic markers in the lot, along the path to the hangar.The various exhibits, films, etc. are housed in the hangar on the site which does an excellent job portraying the story of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. Given the other training site in Walterboro, South Carolina merely has a bust dedicated to the airmen who trained there (and a few plaques to note where certain buildings, etc. were located), this is the much better venue to pay respect to and learn about the men who served in the 332nd and 477th.You would be remiss to pass through this area and not make the time to stop.
pattyp814
I was very impressed by this museum and found it all very interesting. I have not seen the movie "Redtails," but I would be interested in seeing it now, and comparing it to what I learned at this museum. When you go to the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, you park in a modern parking lot with cute trees. You then take a brief walk down a cemented path where you can go inside two different buildings.The first is one of the original hangars. It is amazing. There are some planes on display, other artifacts, etc. to read and learn about. My favorite parts of this building were being able to go inside the "War Room," where pilots read about the military issues of the day and planned out their training. My other favorite thing to see in this building was how they attached wooden planks to the rafters of this hangar to hang their parachutes from to try out before re-packing.The next building, which is just across the way, has a top-notch museum with more artifacts inside. You can watch a brief documentary here also to learn more. There is also a small gift shop there. If the gift shop looks closed, all you have to do is ask the National Park Service person on duty (may be in the first room when you came in) to open it for you. This is what we did, and he gladly did so, and he was a joy to talk with. He is a former high school history teacher and was very knowledgeable and personable.My favorite part about this building is we were able to climb the renovated three-story control tower that is attached to this building and look out across the airfield and just imagine all of the courageous trainees going about their business back in the day.I loved the plaques outside, how they showed an old photo and you could just look up and see how the building looks today.Thank you to all of those who trained here, and those who came along later to preserve their history.A must see! Loved it.
llh007
Artifacts, videos, plaques and displays to remember the story of courageous young men who enlisted to become America's first black military airmen. Over 1,000 pilots were trained at Moton Field; some were killed during the war and some were taken prisoners by the Germans. This a self-guided tour with very interesting stories.
globeseeker007
I had heard about this famous group of pilots all of my life and looked forward to visiting this museum. It's contained in two large hangers and is located at the airfield where they began their primary training. Inside the hangers are two of the aircraft which they trained on and another one which they flew in combat. Both hangers have a lot of exhibits such as offices and other rooms containing flight jackets, typewriters, phones, and other memorabilia of WWII. There is quite a lot of information to digest in this museum so plan on spending a couple of hours here. These airman came into a segregated armed forces during WWII and proved that Blacks were just as capable as their white counterparts when it came to piloting a fighter aircraft in combat. They went up against one of the finest air forces in the world, the Luftwaffe, and gave a good accounting of themselves. This is a tribute to these fine men who fought and, in some cases, died for this country.
BROF16
I had been to the Tuskegee Airmen museum several years before prior to the recent renovation and addition of Hanger #2. We decided to go back and see what was new. We must have caught them on a down day (or down month). The grounds around the main viewing area with all the benches overlooking the airfield were overgrown and weeds abound. Several of the signs you first see after parking were warped inside their display cases. The displays in the hangars were very interesting and Hangar #2 is very nice. Several of the displays in Hangar #1 didn't work to include the audio on several phones "talk to the instructors" and the audio in the links trainer was inop. The 25 min film in the modern theater (Hangar #2) was very well done and informative. Overall a good lesson about a very important segment in American history but a disappointment in quality of facilities and maintenance. Our Tuskegee Airmen deserve better.
SeasonedALtraveler
The Tuskegee airmen are well-known for their WWII accomplishments. This museum at Moton Field is a very nice place to see where they did their basic training. Hangar 1 is not air-conditioned and the introductory film was broken so we had to read the wall info to get the background - not a good beginning. Take time to listen to some of the numerous audio interviews. Unfortunately, some needed work - were garbled to listen to. Hangar 2 is the newest addition - just opened this year. Be sure and see the 25 minute documentary on the airmen - the highlight of the museum in my opinion. It is only shown on the hour from 10 - 3. They do have one of the redtail planes on exhibit and very nice displays and many video clips in various sections. On the negative side: we were the only ones present. Unfortunately it has very limited staff. We were not greeted in hangar 2 and I had to find the office of the attendant to find information about the movie. She remained at her seat and was not very friendly. The gift shop on the opposite side of the hangar was locked and said if you wanted to go in, to tell the person in the office. I didn't bother. They continue to work on this historic site. Several were painting buildings that used to be the Bath and Locker House and the Skyway Club. The new brochure shows that they are open but they were not. I'm not an aviation fan but do love history so enjoyed this site. Aviation fans should definitely visit here!
stevemG2990JH
I am a travel writer who covers National Parks (npplan.com) and I was at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site on August 2, 2014. Located at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site is a massive museum dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen. Two airplane hangars house aircraft, exhibits, and artifacts from the “Tuskegee Experiment,” a plan to train black Americans as US Army Air Corps pilots during World War II. In addition to the museum, visitors can walk around the grounds and see some of the remaining buildings from the Airmen era. The entire visit is a self-guided experience with a park Ranger on hand to answer any questions.Moton Field served as the only primary flight training facility for blacks in the United States, but it was just one stop on the road to becoming a pilot. The first stop for all Tuskegee Airmen was ground school at the Tuskegee Institute, the school contracted by the US government to provide ground and primary flight training for black flight cadets from 1941 until the program ended in 1949. Cadets who passed the programs at Tuskegee Institute went on to more rigorous training at Tuskegee Army Air Field, which was seven miles from Moton Field. The Tuskegee Army Air Field no longer exists. Tuskegee Airmen continued as a entity until 1949, when the military had been desegregated and the Airmen were assigned to other units in the nearly formed Air Force. The US Army Air Corps was a unit of the US Army at the start of the Tuskegee training program.For dozens of photos and complete information about the park, please visit my web site.
nivesw
Moton Field and The Tuskegee Airmen museum were part of a family history road trip. We dragged an 8 and 11 year old out of the air conditioned comfort of our minivan onto the searing tarmac. Once we entered the museum we knew the trip was worth more than we could've ever imagined. The ranger on staff was wonderful. She made us feel welcomed with her warmth, knowledge, and passion for her work at the museum. We were standing in the place where the Army Air corps devised an experiment to see if black men were capable of being trained to fly military aircraft. An experiment!?!?!? The site is expertly curated and offers something for alll ages. Hangar 1 includes planes, and other objects used by the men and women who trained and worked at the field. Hangar 2 has several interactive experiences that give you a sense of the day to day operations. Don't miss the commissary and the reconstructions of several of the peripheral buildings.
740cheriw
Self tour of the air museum with planes, displays and so much history. Well worth the visit. We have been here twice since the second building just opened. Informative, interesting and well done.
NeilMavis
If you have seen the movie Red Tails, the inspiration for the movie came from the Tuskegee Airmen. The airfield where they trained for basic flying instruction is now the Tuskegee Airman National historic site. The two hangars now house exhibits and a theater about the Airmen. A great museum for children to learn about the history of the Civil Rights struggle. The site is free to tour. There is a short paved walking path (no steps) down a hill from the parking lot to the exhibits. The path can easily be traveled by a wheelchair. While visiting the Airman Historic site, drive another 5 minutes south, to the Tuskegee University, and tour the huge, beautiful campus, and also the George Washington Carver museum, located on campus.