San Diego Air & Space Museum (formerly San Diego Aerospace Museum)

San Diego Air & Space Museum, a round building dating from 1930, houses aircraft from the earliest days right up to NASA missiles, including a replica of the "Spirit of St Louis", the aeroplane in which Charles A Lindbergh made the first solo transatlantic flight (the original is in the National Aerospace Museum in Washington). The International Aerospace Hall of Fame in the same building shows photographs and memorabilia of the pioneers of flight.

The San Diego Air and Space Museum is one of the city's more popular attractions. Located in beautiful Balboa Park, the museum is centrally located and easily accessible. A visit here can be combined with other attractions in Balboa Park including the Botanical Gardens, the San Diego Zoo, and the Museum of Man among many others.

The museum is laid out in chronological order and starts with man's first flight in a hot air balloon in 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers and runs right up to fighter jets and space age flight technology. One of the highlights of the museum is its extensive collection of World War II, Korean Conflict, and Vietnam War fighter jets. Planes of various size and shape can be toured and many of the rarer and delicate models are displayed effectively in action poses hung from the rafters. The museum is considered one of America's finest and is a Smithsonian affiliate.