Fleet Air Arm Museum
Photos of Fleet Air Arm Museum
What will students see and do?
The Fleet Air Arm Museum sits on the grounds of RNAS Yeovilton, a working naval air station in Somerset, near Ilchester. It’s home to the Royal Navy Wildcat Force and the Commando Helicopter Force.
There are two airfield viewing areas inside the museum (Halls 2 & 4) where students can observe Europe’s busiest military air station at work – just one of the reasons that a visit to the Fleet Air Arm Museum is a unique school trip idea.
The museum itself is large and is made up of four aircraft hangers. It covers a site of about 3.5 hectares or 8.6 acres. It has to be big since it houses more than 100 aircraft – Europe’s biggest naval aviation display.
Students will find everything from delicate bi-planes to modern aviation marvels. They can go aboard the first British-built Concorde and even visit the cockpit of the supersonic jet.
Displays cover more than 100 years of Royal Navy history, dating back to 1909. There’s so much to see and do that your students will need a minimum of two to three hours taking it all in.
How does the trip link to the curriculum?
An educational visit to the Fleet Air Arm Museum is a lesson in naval and aviation history during the 20th century. Guided and self-guided museum tours offer students the chance to explore aviation through time.
Structured learning programs are available for pupils in all stages. Primary students in KS1 can investigate the origins of aviation, the history of flight, and what it’s like to be a pilot through a series of hands-on workshops.
KS2 students can explore the science of flight through a series of STEM workshops covering aircraft design, parachute design and codebreaking. There are also history workshops covering topics like life during WW1 and WW2 and the Battle of Britain.
The museum offers a wide range of learning opportunities in history, STEM and the arts for secondary students. These include workshops on aircraft design, lessons on the impact of world war, and competitive engineering challenge days.
You can work with museum staff to adapt any learning programmes for both secondary and primary school trips to fit your particular requirements.
Subjects covered
Teaching resources provided
Teachers should make a planning visit to the museum and contact the Learning & Public Programming Department on 01935 842633 or fleetairarm.learning@nmrn.org.uk for assistance in planning a programme for their students.
There are also some downloadable resources to help you plan your school trip, including maps of themed Discovery Trails. These highlight key areas of the museum to aid you in planning.
And there’s a teachers’ welcome pack with information about the facilities, access, and support information regarding your visit and the museum itself.
Minimum and maximum group size
To qualify for the UK school group rate, your group must consist of at least 12 paid admissions. You must book your class visit at least seven days in advance of your visit. The online booking form simplifies the process.
A single class is a group of up to 30 students. However, the museum can accommodate larger groups and multiple classes on Discovery and Discover More! visits. The maximum number of pupils for a Discovery visit is 120. The maximum for a Discover More! visit is 60.
The museum can accommodate larger groups when you book multiple workshops, as groups can rotate through them. If booking a large group, contact the museum as far in advance as possible so that they can accommodate your group.
If you’re booking a visit by museum staff to your classroom, you will be charged for a minimum of 20 pupils. The maximum allowed is 35 pupils.
Details of risk assessment
Teachers and group leaders should schedule a free preliminary visit to the museum to gather information and begin preparing a risk assessment. Guidelines to assist in your risk assessment preparation are available on request.
Don't miss our downloadable A-Z guide on completing a risk assessment
Facilities on-site
When the weather permits, groups on an educational visit may use the large lawn at the front of the museum to eat packed lunches. Primary pupils may also use the adventure playground.
During inclement weather, school groups can eat their packed lunches in the Swordfish Centre (adjacent to the museum restaurant) when it’s not in use. You should pre-book the space for your group if you plan to visit during the colder months.
If the Swordfish Centre is unavailable, museum staff will do their best to locate an appropriate space for your class to have their lunch.
Opening times
The museum is open on Wednesdays-Sundays from 10am – 4:30pm.
It’s also open Mondays and Tuesdays during South Somerset School Holidays.
The museum is closed between 24th-26th December.
Pricing
Pre-booked admission prices vary based on age, whether it’s a UK school trip or an international school trip, and the ratio of teachers and adult supervisors to pupils.
For UK school trips, the cost is £4.50 per pupil/student aged 18 and older. For international school trips, the cost is £7.50 per pupil/student aged 18 and older.
For primary pupils, one adult per five students (1:5) is admitted at no charge. For secondary schools, one adult per ten students (1:10) is free. For each additional adult supervisor, the fee is £7. These rates apply to all student groups.
Workshop charges are based on a class of 30 pupils. One session is £50. A double session (for the same class) is £80.
Optional resource charges include:
Gas mask boxes for up to 30 pupils – £30 per session
ID cards for up to 30 pupils – £15 per session
The museum can also bring workshop sessions to your school. The cost starts at £4.50 per pupil, per workshop. The museum charges an additional 45p per mile in travel expenses. The minimum charge is for 20 children per session, with a maximum of 35.
Travel arrangements
The museum is located at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton (HMS Heron) in Somerset, near Ilchester. It’s on the B3151, just off the A303 and A37. It is accessible from the M5 motorway, junction 25 at Taunton. The museum is well signposted from the A303.
All vehicle parking is free. There are spaces designated for up to nine coaches in the main car park. Minibuses should use the regular car parking area, if possible. Disabled parking is also available.
The naval air station is accessible by way of the Superfast 2 bus from Yeovil, with a short walk (8 minutes) from the RNAS bus stop to the museum entrance.
For train travel, visitors are advised to access mainline routes to Yeovil Pen Mill, Yeovil Junction or Castle Cary stations. You will need to hire a coach or taxi from your train stop to the museum and back.
It takes about two hours to go by train to the Fleet Air Arm Museum from London’s Paddington Station by way of Castle Cary.
Address
RNAS Yeovilton, Ilchester, Somerset
BA22 8HT
Book your school trip to Fleet Air Arm Museum
For information on booking your school trip to this venue, click below.
Teachers also looked at...
Explore by Region
