Spitfire Visitor Centre

What it’s like

See real Spitfires mid-restoration up close, and pay extra if you fancy sitting in one or flying a replica.

This is a working hangar, not a museum with ropes everywhere. You'll walk round four Spitfires, a Hawker Hurricane and a Bf109e that are all being restored with original parts, plus crash wrecks pulled from Lancashire crash sites including a P51 Mustang and a Junkers JU88 bomber. Volunteers talk you through the history as you go, and for older kids into WW2 or planes generally, this is the sort of detail that sticks.

The big draw for most families is the extras. For £5 you can sit in the cockpit of the Mark IX Spitfire for photos, or pay £10 for a ten-minute talk about the cockpit and weapons with your own camera along. There's also a full Spitfire flight experience with dual controls and a real pilot guiding you, where you pick the scenario, Swiss Alps, a city approach or a dogfight. Height, weight and age limits apply to the cockpit sit-ins though, so don't promise a younger one this bit until you've checked they'll fit.

Entry itself is £12 for adults and £6 for kids aged 6 to 16, with under-6s not mentioned as needing a ticket. It's pay on the door for a normal visit, no need to book ahead unless there's a special event on. Parking's free and about 80 yards from the hangar entrance, and the main walkways are wide enough for pushchairs and wheelchairs, though the smaller NAAFI room gets a bit tight.

The catch is timing. It only opens Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, 10am to 4pm with last entry at 3pm, and it's seasonal too, running from March through to the end of October. Miss those days and there's no getting in, so it's one to plan around rather than a spontaneous stop.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

6 to 16, when kids can follow the WW2 history

Last entry

3pm

Booking

Pay on the door for regular public open days

Parking

Free car parking on site, tarmacked car park, approximately 80 yards from hangar entrance

Pushchairs

Have access to main hangar walkways with wide aisles

Wheelchairs

Dedicated wheelchair-accessible entrance at Reception

Dogs

Assistance dogs only, must be clearly identifiable as working assistance animals

• The cockpit sit-in and flight experience are both extras on top of entry, not included
• Only open three days a week, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, so it needs planning around
• Season runs March to October, so it's shut over winter
• An audio tour is available if you want the history at your own pace

Plan your visit

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