So Much to See on the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum
We enjoyed our family day at the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum which is the located in Downtown San Diego. The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier was in service from 1945 to 1992 making it one of the longest serving carriers in U.S. history. The carrier was docked at Navy Pier and opened as a museum in 2004, making it one of five aircraft carrier museums in the United States. We recommend visiting the USS Midway Museum for a fun and educational day for you and the kids. Below are photos of some of the sights you will see when exploring the ship and its various aircraft.
USS Midway CV-41 Aircraft Carrier
A good look at the USS Midway’s port side, seen here from the walkway behind the carrier. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubYou can see the planes on the flight deck and the carrier elevator is now used as an outdoor dining area. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubAt over 950 feet long the USS Midway is an impressive sight. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Unconditional Surrender statue at Tuna Harbor Park with the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier in the background. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubA good aerial view of the USS Midway, Navy Pier and Tuna Harbor Park. | Courtesy of USS Midway MuseumVisitors waiting in line for a tour of the bridge of the USS Midway. It is a good idea to get in line as soon as you board the carrier as the line gets longer throughout the day. Small children are not allowed as there are steep stairs to climb on this guided tour. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubA view of the bridge from the flight deck. | Photo by FamilyVacationHub
Aircraft Aboard the USS Midway
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was used as a scout plane as well as a dive bomber. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Grumman F4F Wildcat was a fighter plane during World War II. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Douglas A1 Skyraider attack plane. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bomber saw service from the 1940’s to 1960’s. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Grumman F9F-8P Cougar fighter aircraft. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Grumman A-6 Intruder attack aircraft with the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier bridge in the background. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Douglas EKA-3 Skywarrior was used for electronic warfare and as a tanker. It had a long military service that started in the 1950’s and lasted to the early 1990’s. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a supersonic fighter or fighter-bomber that was in service from the 60’s to the 90’s. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an early warning aircraft. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe Sikorsky H-60 Seahawk is a multi-purpose helicopter that can perform many different mission types like medical evacuations, search and rescue and warfare missions. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe CH-46 Sea Knight is a twin rotor helicopter used for troop transport and cargo resupply. | Photo by FamilyVacationHub
USS Midway’s City at Sea
This is one of the chow lines on the USS Midway Museum that sailors went through to get their meals. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThis is one of the galleys that prepared the 13,500 daily meals aboard the USS Midway. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe barber shop of the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThis room is the machine and metal workshop. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThe USS Midway Chapel was used to hold multi-denominational religious services. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThis is the USS Midway’s Radio Messaging Processing Center room. | photo by FamilyVacationHubHere are the “swanky” living quarters for executive officers. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThis smaller kitchen is used to prepare meals for the ship captains. | Photo by FamilyVacationHub
Miscellaneous Sights on the USS Midway Museum
Two models show the differences of the first and current aircraft carriers. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubA plaque commemorating 40 of the commanding officers of the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubThis is the presentation silver of the USS Toledo. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubA 1st Class Pharmacist Dress White Jumper. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubUSS Midway life raft pod that contains a life raft, food, water and a first aid kit. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubMadi in the cockpit of a T-2 Buckeye on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubLaura and Madi were brave enough to stand on the Flight Deck Horns which hang over the bow of the USS Midway. I was not so brave and “volunteered” to take the photo. | Photo by FamilyVacationHubAcross the bay you could see the USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carriers docked in the San Diego Bay. | Photo by FamilyVacationHub
We were provided a media pass for the purpose of covering this place on our blog. Regardless, we would only recommend places, activities or services that we would use/visit personally and that we believe will be good for our readers.
By Joe Filipowicz
Joe has had a lifelong passion for finding fun and exciting things to do, good restaurants and places to stay while traveling with his family and friends. Since it takes a lot of research and exploration to find these family friendly places, Joe started this website to share his findings with others to make it easier for them to plan their next getaway.
Joe lives in Los Angeles but has also spent a lot of time in Las Vegas and Cancun. He has been visiting Las Vegas since he was a kid, so for over 35 years, and visits multiple times a year to enjoy everything it has to offer. Cancun has been his favorite vacation destination for the past decade, and he tries to take his family there once a year.
