Location
601 Skyway Road
San Carlos, CA 94070
Telephone
(650) 654-0200
Website
http://www.hiller.orgDays and Hours Of Operation
Daily 10am–5pm
Description
Located just off the 101 Freeway at bustling San Carlos Airport, the Hiller Aviation Museum hosts a collection of over 40 historic aircraft with a focus on early California aircraft and the adventurous aviators who built and flew them. Climb aboard a helicopter, check out the controls of a Blue Angels airplane, try out a flight simulation or explore the cockpit of a Boeing 747 in a hands-on adventure in flight.
Educational programs are offered throughout the year, ranging from pre-school reading and home school activities to weeklong Aviation Camp experiences. Boy and Girl Scout programs are also available.
Special events are held on select holiday and weekend dates, and on Wednesdays during the summer. Aircraft exhibitions and demonstrations, paper airplane presentations and live bird shows are among the many family-themed events offered throughout the year. Gourmet food trucks visit the Museum each Wednesday to provide a unique lunchtime dining experience.
Classes:
Discounted field trip admission is available to school, Scout, and home school groups throughout the year. Each includes guided tours and available hands-on programs featuring model aircraft construction, weather experiments, flight simulation and more. Weekend classes include Boy Scout Merit Badge programs, Girl Scout activities, pre-school reading programs, public flight simulation workshops and more.
Camps:
The Museum’s Aviation Camp is the Bay Area’s premier aerospace education experience for kids. Multiple topics are offered, each exploring a specific area of aviation, engineering or astronautics. All camps include hands-on experiments, model aircraft construction, realistic flight simulation and encounters with real aircraft.
2013 Summer Sessions:
Dates/Ages:
- Aero Bot Inventors (Grades 1–6): June 3–June 7, June 24–June 28, July 8–July 12, July 29–August 2, August 19–August 23
- Air and Space (Grades 1–5): June 17–June 21, July 15–July 19, August 5–August 9
- Flight Science Lab (Grades K–5): June 10–June 14, July 1–July 5, July 22–July 26, August 12–August 16, August 26–August 30
- Camp Starhawk (Grades 5–8): July 15–July 19, August 5–August 9
- Engineer’s Workshop (Grades 6–8): June 17–June 21, July 1–July 5, July 22–July 26, August 12–August 16
- Test Pilot School (Grades 6–8): June 24–June 28, July 8–July 12, July 29–August 2, August 19–August 23
Days/Times: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm (full day) or 9am-noon (half day)
Cost: Elementary camps $349 (full day), $215 (half day); Advanced camps $459 (full day only). Discount available for museum members.
Extended care: 8am–9am ($40 per session), 4pm–5:30pm ($60 per session)
2013 Spring Camp Session: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Dates: April 1–April 5
Ages: Grades K–5
Days/Times: Monday–Friday, 9am–4pm (full day) or 9am–noon (half day)
Cost: $349 (full day), $215 (half day); discount for museum members
Extended care: 4pm–5pm ($40 per session)
Celebrations:
Birthday party packages are available that include a two hour rental of the Hall of Fame room and a docent-led tour of the Museum. Invite up to 25 children and adults. Bring food, cake, goodie bags, decorations and whatever you need to have a fun party!
Cost
Adults $12, children 5 to 17 and seniors $8, kids 4 and under FREE with a paid adult
Languages Spoken
English
Getting There
From San Francisco, take 101 South and exit at Holly Street/Redwood Shores Parkway. Go east onto Redwood Shores Parkway. Turn right onto Airport Road, and right onto Skyway Road. Caltrans “Air Museum” signs point out all turns from the freeway. Abundant free parking is available.
If arriving by Caltrain, get off at San Carlos Station. It is approximately a 1 mile walk down Holly Street and across the 101 Freeway to reach the Museum. Use the Samtrans Route 260 bus to travel from the Caltrain station across the freeway to Redwood Shores Parkway and Airport Road. Walk from this stop about ¼ mile to the Museum.
If arriving by air, land at San Carlos Airport and request transient parking at Izzy’s Restaurant. Use the gate at Izzy’s and walk to the Museum.
SFKids Tips
*Your transportation lover will have a double whammy day if you take Caltrain down to the museum. Get off at the San Carlos station and walk to the museum, which is just across the 101 freeway.
*Print this coupon for $1 off admission.
What We've Heard
"For the airplane lover, this camp is truly worth the half-hour drive down the Peninsula. The facilities are well-suited for a camp and all the exhibits inspire the kids to participate in the activities."
-- Maria, mother of two