Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum

See a jaw-dropping collection of vintage aircraft and cars inside a connected series of hangars that stretches over 3.5 acres of flatland.

Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM)
By Robert Ham

1600 Air Museum Road, Hood River, 541-308-1600, waaamuseum.org. 9 am–5 pm daily. $21-$23, children under 18 $12.

Hood River’s Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum, or WAAAM, is a little jewel tucked away in the hills above Interstate 84. The museum boasts a jaw-dropping collection of vintage aircraft and cars inside a connected series of hangars that stretches over 3.5 acres of flatland near Ken Jernstedt Airfield. It’s a near-overwhelming experience to stroll through the entire expanse as every inch is packed with vehicles, exhibits and vintage ephemera, including a beautifully restored 1929 Ford 5-AT-C Tri-Motor passenger plane once used by Pan American Airways. Luckily, friendly docents cruise around on electric scooters to help put everything into context. Even better: On the second Saturday of every month, volunteers take the aircraft out for a spin and offer free rides in some of the vintage cars.

Don’t miss: The auto collection, which ranges from a 1913 Ford Model T to a 2012 McLaren MP4-12C Coupe, is the stuff of gearhead dreams.

Will kids like it? WAAAM is likely best for older kids, but it does hold weeklong camps for elementary school students each summer.

See the rest of Oregon’s Museum Trail here!

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