Museum of Flying
Aviation and Aerospace Component ManufacturingCalifornia, United States2-10 Employees
The Museum of Flying is a small aviation museum and historical collection based in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1974 as the Douglas Museum and Library, it opened to the public in 1979 and later relocated to a new building on the north side of the Santa Monica Airport in 1989, with an emphasis on World War II fighter aircraft and related ephemera from the Douglas Aircraft Company era. The institution operates within the aviation and aerospace component landscape, preserving artifacts and vintage aircraft to provide context on early aerospace development and military aviation history. Its offerings appear geared toward enthusiasts and researchers seeking tangible links to mid-20th-century aviation heritage. Located in the greater Los Angeles area, the museum occupies a niche within regional aviation memorials and air-and-space institutions that maintain historical aircraft collections. The organization centers on curating and displaying its historical collection for visitors, with staff size reflective of a small, focused operation dedicated to preservation and interpretation rather than large-scale exhibitions or commercial programs. A recent development noted is the continuation of its mission at the Santa Monica site after relocating in the late 1980s, maintaining the legacy of the Douglas aviation lineage for the local community.