Is The Air Zoo Museum Worth It?
Surprisingly there are no animals here but you will enjoy it anyway.
When Donetta started telling me last week that she found some cool things to do in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I really didn’t pay much attention because I was working, driving, or stupid, and all I heard was Harvest Host and the zoo.
Zoo??? Cool! I’m game.
I know she loves zoos and was excited to see some animals, and making her happy is the joy of my life, so I was really confused when we drove up to the listed address and saw … a military airplane!
Apparently, the Air Zoo was once called the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, and this I did not know, but one would think it was self-explanatory. But not to fret, because for my sake, it was going to be an epic experience.
If you didn’t know, I embrace everything military, especially when it’s related to World War II or aircraft. I have loved it since my dad took me to my first airshow and I learned about my mother’s wartime experience. And as a guy who served in the U.S. Army, it’s even more important to keep the history alive.
This was my kinda place.
But I’ve been to some of the best military museums in the country, and such a small place like this couldn’t stack up to the others.
Or so I thought.
The museum and the property itself were immaculate and very special.
Outside, you can walk a track that offers a variety of aircraft on display, including a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 and a McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II. The path is peaceful and fun to walk. They also have a memorial for the Guadalcanal Campaign, where you can sit and reflect, or enjoy a picnic.
We stayed for three nights on their grounds due to their Harvest Host opportunity, and I can say it was one of the best and quietest places to sleep. The parking lot is spacious and easy for vehicles of any size to park.
This was also during Memorial Day weekend, and the museum had volunteers place white crosses that lit up at night across the front lawn in perfect rows, like in national cemeteries. What a beautiful way to honor our heroes. 🇺🇸
Inside, the Air Zoo - well, that was totally unexpected!
As I walked in, I immediately noticed the pink P-40 Warhawk, one of the most prolific WWII fighters, hanging from the ceiling. I’ve seen a handful of P-40’s in my lifetime, but never a pink one. I thought someone had desecrated a priceless artifact.
Turns out this fighter belonged to Sue Parish, a member of the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) in World War II, and the wife of Pete Parish, a decorated WWII USMC pilot from the Pacific Theater. Both founded the Air Zoo museum in 1979.
The next thing I noticed was the museum staff.
Excited and welcoming, the front desk greeted us with such enthusiasm, something uncommon these days in any place you visit. Then we spoke with the museum volunteers on the floor, who were not only knowledgeable, but great to interact with. And not to miss a beat, the team that restores the aircraft and manages that part of the mission was wonderful, too. This seemed to be a very happy place to work.
I also met Doc.
He told me his real name, and I apologize for forgetting it. He said he was called that because he served in the U.S. Navy as a doctor during the Korean War. Doc had a warm smile and charisma about him that made me want to spend the day with him. I loved his woodland camo field jacket adorned with a variety of military patches, including one from the Royal Air Force.
The museum is impressive with its wide variety of static aircraft displays, including some of my personal WWII favorites like the North American B-25 Mitchell, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, and the Goodyear FG-1D Corsair. They also have a fully restored American Waco CG-4A Horsa glider, which is a nice treat not often found anymore.
For modern aircraft enthusiasts, Zoo Air also has the only two-seat SR-71 Blackbird in existence, as well as the famous Grumman F-14A Tomcat, a Blue Angels Grumman F11F-1 Tiger, and a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet.
It doesn’t stop there, however; they also have other military, passenger, and space aircraft to enjoy throughout the collection. Almost too much to see in a few hours.
And what Air Zoo might lack in those displays, they really make it up elsewhere!
It won’t take you long to notice how much thought and care went into the place, as you see the floor-to-ceiling masterpieces painted on the walls and how the visuals and theme bring the entire story to life. It was one of the best multi-sensory experiences I’ve encountered at an air museum.
The interactive learning opportunities, flight simulators, amusement rides, and educational classes are, in my opinion, one of the highlights of the museum. There are sections dedicated to the moon landing, space discovery, and even the birth of the comic book era. They also have a cafe with reasonable prices, not to mention a store filled with all kinds of things that made me want to cry like a kid at Christmas.
I also can’t forget the restoration wing of the operation.
Behind the museum is a large hangar filled with other aircraft and displays, but it also houses the shop where historical pieces are brought back to life. Seeing the team work on the last remaining SBD-1 Dauntless in the world was special, and it’s a great way to honor the memory of Ensign Herbert Welton McMinn, USNR, who perished in the crash.
Writing a review about the Zoo Air Museum just can’t do it justice. You have to go there and experience it for yourself.
I admit that when I was told about this place, I really didn’t have high expectations because we’ve been to some smaller museums, and as nice as they were, they just didn’t have much impact. I was blown away by Zoo Air and thankful we stopped!
As a military veteran and enthusiast, I recommend you add this to your list.
Thank you to the entire team there for what they do.
