National Naval Aviation Museum

Also housed within the walls of the museum is the Emil Buehler Naval Aviation Library. The Emil Buehler Naval Aviation Library was established in 1992 with funding from the Emil Buehler Trust[3] and now serves as a non-circulating repository for the National Naval Aviation Museum.[4]  The library’s namesake, Emil Buehler, was an aviation pioneer who had a profound impact upon the aviation community and his legacy lives on through his philanthropic trust and education programs in colleges throughout the Florida and the eastern United States.[5] The Buehler Aviation Library is home to artifacts and special collections of items from people and events that are of monumental importance to not only the history of aviation in America but also Naval history in general.[6] The collection contains books, oral histories, pictures, manuscripts, technical manuals and approximately 400,000 photographs, many of which are searchable and organized[7] The library houses special collections like a sampling of the earliest tales gathered by members of the Brown Shoe Project, who have compiled stories and histories of aviation squadrons that flew missions during the Korean War [8] and is also actively involved in hosting celebrations commemorating significant events like the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11moon landing in 2019.[9]  Similarly, one of Naval Air Station Pensacola’s own trainees was a member of that historic Apollo 11 mission. and the library also maintains Buzz Aldrin’s flight training records from the early days of his Naval career.[10] The Emil Buehler National Aviation Library is considered one of the most complete sources of Naval history in the United States.[11]

Adjacent to the museum and library is the National Flight Academy, a four-story simulated aircraft carrier housing over 30 networked flight simulators. Throughout the summer, more than 200 students per week (7th through 12th grade) from across the nation attend the National Flight Academy's 6-day program, designed to inspire attendees to pursue a future in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).[12]

The museum is supported by a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization, the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.[13] Since 1966, this foundation has raised tens of millions of dollars to construct the museum, build exhibits, recover and restore aircraft, and develop educational programs like the National Flight Academy.

Practice demonstrations by the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, may be viewed from the museum most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings between March and November. These practices are weather permitting, and a tentative practice schedule may be viewed on the Blue Angels' website.

Captain Robert L. Rasmussen, a retired Navy captain, former Navy fighter pilot and former Blue Angels demonstration pilot, served as museum director for 27 years and reported to the Naval History & Heritage Command. Also an artist, some of his works are displayed in the museum.[14][15] Captain Rasmussen retired as director in 2014 and was replaced by Captain Sterling Gilliam, Jr.[16]

• Aeronauticum, German naval aviation museum, Nordholz
• Fleet Air Arm Museum, United Kingdom museum of naval aviation, Yeovil, Somerset
• Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia), Australian museum of naval aviation, Nowra, New South Wales
• Naval Aviation Museum (India), Indian naval aviation museum, Goa, India
• Shearwater Aviation Museum, Canadian naval aviation museum, Sheerwater, Nova Scotia.
• Pacific Aviation Museum, US Pacific Fleet and Japanese aviation, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

• Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
• List of maritime museums in the United States
• United States Marine Corps Aviation
• U.S. Navy Museum
• National Museum of the United States Air Force
• United States Army Aviation Museum

• A and T Recovery
• R.G. Smith Award
• List of aerospace museums