We are fortunate to have the Planes of Fame Air Museum located just a few miles from Chino Hills at the Chino Airport. The Planes of Fame Air Museum is an independently operated, non-profit 501(c)(3) aviation museum dedicated to collecting, restoring, displaying, and preserving aircraft and memorabilia for the educational benefit of current and future generations.
Currently, Planes of Fame houses over 150 aircraft at its two locations, the main facility at Chino Airport in California and a satellite museum near the Grand Canyon at Valle Airport in Arizona. The Planes of Fame Air Museum is open every day, except Christmas and Thanksgiving, from 9am to 5pm. General admission is $11; youngsters 11 and under are admitted for $4 and admission is free for accompanied children under five.
I recently visited the museum and spoke with Deborah Manning. who manages the gift shop. She told me that she's been with the museum for over 22 years and that it's gone through a lot of change and growth in that time. She is right. I visited the museum when we first moved to Chino Hills and I recall it being kind of a hodge podge of old airplanes. Today it is much more organized, taking up over seven hangers. Outside of the entrance to the museum you are greeted by a huge restored B-17 Bomber. The gift shop is comprehensive and would be a good place to do some gift shopping if you have an airplane buff in the family or like giving unusual gifts. There are plenty of airplane theme clothing items, airplane models, maps, and other interesting items.
If you've ever wondered why those very interesting old planes are flying over your home on certain Saturday mornings, it is because the museum offers a monthly seminar to visitors each first Saturday about various historical planes and they often include flight demonstrations. The museum also offers party packages for as many as 35 guests, including tables and chairs, personalized invitations, and a dedicated Docent for your group.
The Planes of Fame Museum was founded by Edward T. Maloney in 1957. It is located in the Chino Airport at 7000 Merrill Avenue., #17, Chino, CA 91710. For more information visit their web site at www.PlanesOfFame.org or call (909) 597-3722.
If you are an airplane buff, we found this very interesting blog on trains, planes, and automobiles and it starts with an entry on the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California.
To get to the Planes of Fame Air Museum from Chino Hills, take Euclid Avenue to Merrill Avenue (East) and follow the signs.
and is not a part of nor affiliated with the City of Chino Hills.