Moffett Field Historical Society Museum

Hangar One is the landmark everyone on Highway 101 knows: a silver shed so big it once held a 785 foot Navy airship. At its south end, across the street from the water tower, a low former Navy recreation building holds the Moffett Field Museum. Volunteers run it and it tells the story of the base from the airship era through World War II, the Cold War and the arrival of NASA. Outside, an air park lines up aircraft that flew from the field, including a U-2 and a P-3 Orion.

The museum was long known as the Moffett Field Historical Society Museum and many maps still use that name. It is about 15 minutes from Palo Alto, but it sits inside a federal airfield, so every adult needs a photo ID at the gate. This guide covers the history, what you will see, hours and tickets as the museum listed them on November 1, 2026, getting through the gate, accessibility and how to pair it with the rest of Mountain View.

Airships, Navy patrols and a museum that moved

The Navy opened its West Coast airship base at Sunnyvale in 1933. Hangar One was built that year to house the USS Macon, a rigid airship that served as a flying aircraft carrier for small scout planes. The base took the name of Rear Admiral William A. Moffett, a champion of naval aviation who died in the 1933 crash of the Macon's sister ship, the Akron. The Macon itself was lost at sea off the Big Sur coast in 1935. The Army Air Corps ran the field from 1935 to 1942 before the Navy returned for World War II blimp patrols. During the Cold War it was home to Navy P-3 Orion anti-submarine patrol squadrons. NASA's Ames lab grew up next door. Our page on Palo Alto in World War II covers the home front up the road.

When the Navy announced in 1992 that it would leave and turn the field over to NASA, a group formed a Hail and Farewell Committee to save artifacts. The Moffett Field Historical Society followed in May 1993, founded by Carol Henderson and Rose Lesslie. Its museum opened in 1994 in a 30,000 square foot section of Hangar One. When NASA raised the rent in 1999 and required a sprinkler system the society could not afford, the museum closed in January 2002. It reopened in April 2005 in Building 126, its home today. A model train layout left from the building's days as a rec center is still on show. In April 2018 the museum received an official duplicate of Admiral Moffett's Medal of Honor and sword.

Hangar One closed in 2003 because of contamination including PCBs, asbestos and lead. Google's Planetary Ventures took a 60-year lease on the airfield and New Atlas reported in April 2026 that its restoration of the 198 foot tall hangar was complete. The hangar is not open to the public.

What to see

The museum's exhibit list includes:

• USS Macon. A detailed diorama of the airship and the history of Hangar One.
• Rear Admiral Moffett. A gallery on the namesake and his push for naval aviation.
• World War I and World War II. Including the Army Air Corps years and a tribute to the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs.
• The Cold War. Anti-submarine gear, electronic warfare and navigation exhibits from the P-3 era.
• The NASA collection. Space program artifacts tied to Ames.
• The Cockpit Collection. Climb into a P-3 or a Harrier cockpit, both described as fully accessible.
• The AirPark. Navy and NASA aircraft such as an F/A-18 Hornet, a U-2, an F-104, a Cobra helicopter and P-2 and P-3 patrol planes. Some aircraft are under restoration and may be off view.
• The Train Room and Hall of Honor. The rec center train layout plus a gallery honoring people tied to the field.

The collection is modest and packed with personal items, uniforms and photos rather than polished interactive displays. Allow about 90 minutes, more if you stop to talk with the volunteers.

Hours and tickets

The museum's visit page lists hours of Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The page does not list holiday closures, so call 650-964-4024 before visiting near Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day.

Tickets are sold at the museum entrance. There is no online booking or timed entry for individual visitors. Groups should contact the museum ahead.

Getting there from Palo Alto

The gate and ID rules

Moffett Field is a federal airfield, so you pass a security gate. The museum says all adult visitors 18 and over should show a photo ID when entering. US citizens and permanent residents can use a current driver's license, state ID card or US passport. Since May 7, 2025 a Real ID-compliant license or ID has been required for US visitors. Visitors who are not US residents must show a current passport. Our guide for international visitors has more on documents.

By car

Take Highway 101 south to the Moffett Boulevard exit and follow signs to the Moffett Field main gate. The drive takes about 15 minutes outside rush hour. Once through the gate, the museum is at the south end of Hangar One, across from the water tower. Look for visitor parking near the building. If you are flying in and plan to see several Silicon Valley sites, compare rental cars, since many campuses and museums are spread out.

By Caltrain

Take Caltrain to Mountain View station. From there, Moffett Boulevard runs north under Highway 101 to the main gate, roughly a mile and a half. Many visitors take a rideshare or bike from the station. Check with the museum before walking in through the gate on foot.

Accessibility

The museum describes its P-3 and Harrier cockpits as fully accessible, which is unusual for climb-in cockpits. The rest of the building is a single former rec center, but the museum does not publish a full accessibility statement. Call ahead to ask about ramps, restrooms and parking close to the door. Ask about the outdoor AirPark too, since aircraft there may be roped off during restoration.

Tips for a good visit

• Bring the right ID. An old non-Real ID license may not get you through the gate.
• Check the day. It opens only four days a week and closes at 3 p.m.
• Look up. Hangar One towers over the parking lot. Photos from outside are fine, but stay out of restricted areas.
• Ask questions. The volunteers know the field's history in detail and the museum has a library.
• Watch for STEM days. The museum has run a series of STEM clinics for kids; check its site for dates.

Food nearby and pairing it with other stops

There is no cafe at the museum. The closest meals are on Moffett Boulevard near the gate, where the Ameswell Hotel has ROGER Bar and Restaurant and a casual cafe. A few minutes south, Castro Street in downtown Mountain View has dozens of restaurants, from dumplings and ramen to tacos and pizza.

For a full aviation and tech day, pair Moffett with the Computer History Museum, which opens Wednesday to Sunday and is five minutes west. The Google Visitor Experience is nearby too. Aviation fans can save the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos for another day, or watch small planes land closer to home from spots on our Palo Alto Airport page. For a guided look at the region, browse Silicon Valley tours.

Frequently asked questions