Aerospace Bristol Review & Everything You Need To Know!

If you’re a lover of all things aviation, then you need to take a trip to visit Aerospace Bristol! Read on to see my Aerospace Bristol review and find out everything you need to know about your visit.

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What is Aerospace Bristol?

What is Aerospace Bristol? Aerospace Bristol is the new home of Concorde 216, the last Concorde to be built and the last to fly. It is also a museum that tells the story of Bristol’s aerospace industry and its people, from the birth of the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1910 to the present day.

The museum features interactive displays, galleries, and exhibitions, as well as a cafe and gift shop. Visitors have the opportunity to explore the Concorde Hangar and see the iconic supersonic aircraft up close.

There is also a recreated 1950s factory floor, where visitors can see the original machinery used to build aircraft, as well as a range of vintage aircraft on display, including a Bristol Blenheim, a Hawker Hurricane, and a Westland Wyvern.

Aerospace Bristol also offers a range of educational activities and workshops aimed at children, as well as a range of events and activities for adults.

Additionally, the museum is a great place if you’re looking to host an event – as the event hall is where the Concorde is – imagine dining right below the Concorde and how amazing that would be! So if anyone is planning to do that and has an extra invite, you can always invite me 😉

Where is Aerospace Bristol?

Where is Aerospace Bristol? Aerospace Bristol is located in Filton, Bristol, England. It is situated on the north side of the former Bristol Aeroplane Company’s Filton factory, next to the Bristol & Bath Railway Path and close to the M32.

It is easily accessible by car, with access points from the M32, the A38 and the A4174. If you are accessing it by car then the address for Aerospace Bristol is: Aerospace Bristol, Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5BZ.

Visitors can also get to Aerospace Bristol via train. The nearest train station is Patchway, and it is about a 30-minute walk each way.

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Does Aerospace Bristol have Parking?

Does Aerospace Bristol have parking? Yes, there is free parking at Aerospace Bristol. Although, due to them being a charity, they do accept donations to help support the museum and its maintenance. Therefore, they have two donation points located in the car park.

There is also coach parking if you’re arriving by coach.

How Much are Tickets for Aerospace Bristol?

How much are the tickets for Aerospace Bristol? Tickets for Aerospace Bristol are listed below:

All tickets include a free return ticket which is valid for one year. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the door.

What are the Aerospace Bristol Opening Times?

What are the Aerospace Bristol opening times? The opening times for Aerospace Bristol are: Monday – Sunday, 10 am – 4:30 pm.

Sometimes the Concorde Hangar is closed for private events, so please check here in advance of your visit to avoid any disappointment.

Aerospace Bristol Review:

I visited Aerospace Bristol a few years ago with my dad, but recently I visited again with my friends as we had a free Visit Britain voucher and wanted to go somewhere we were all interested in, so this Aerospace Bristol review is very recent. We visited around the start of April, and it was quieter than I expected, especially during the Easter Holidays.

I drove there and found it quite accessible to get to, and there were plenty of signs pointing it out. We did also consider getting the train, but the 30-minute walk put us off with the British weather being unpredictable. There was a lot of parking, although I don’t believe there was an electric vehicle charging station.

“Check-in” was simple, and the staff were very friendly and informative – and I really liked the tickets as they made it into boarding passes which I found to be a fantastic touch. It is also good because the tickets were made out of strong paper, as they are the same tickets to use if you make a return visit with them.

After we got our tickets, we were led into the first bit of the museum, which was general aviation things such as the history of flight, the museum/ area and the World Wars – all of this was very interesting and helped build anticipation for the Concorde.

This section of the museum is quite small but interesting. I feel like younger kids may not be as interested in this section, but the museum has put things in place to keep them interested. For example, there was a treasure hunt-style quiz for them to participate in, character boards made for children to read, and some hands-on items to touch.

After you finish in the first section of the museum, you come out to a cafe, which serves a fairly wide range of different items to fill up on. It’s reasonably priced, but we didn’t eat there. You then need to turn to the right and walk a short distance outside to get to the Concorde hangar.

The Concorde is the main attraction of Aerospace Bristol – and rightly so! The sheer size of the Concorde will take your breath away as you look at this interesting piece of history. I really believe it’s one of the best highlights of British aviation in history.

I liked that there was seating underneath the Concorde, as it’s a great idea to just sit there for a while and admire the magnificent plane. There was also a small stand selling tea, coffee and other snacks, but I’m unsure if it was open when we visited.

There was a bit of a queue to go inside the Concorde, but this was because you would go in with who you’re with, so it’s just your party inside. I’m pretty sure that the last time I visited, it wasn’t like this – and it was very busy inside, which made it slightly unenjoyable, so I’m glad they changed this. Additionally, whilst waiting to go inside, the staff member briefed us about the Concorde and answered any questions we had – he also took our photo!

Inside, it did kind of feel a little rushed, although we weren’t rushed – we just didn’t want to take too long and make others wait even longer. It was really interesting to see the interior, and there was a section that the general public couldn’t go in, which was good for photos as well. One thing that we found intriguing was that they actually built the building around the Concorde, and you can notice this if you look at aerial images.

It’s important to know that you’re not allowed to sit on the seats in order to preserve the aircraft as much as possible – but there are signs stating this so you won’t forget!

After going inside the Concorde, we walked around the display dedicated to the Concorde. It was very interesting; however, it wasn’t very big, so perhaps in the future, it would be nice if they could expand on this.

Finally, to end our visit, we walked out via the gift shop. The gift shop at Aerospace Bristol was reasonably priced and sold a lot of things for all different types of visitors. For instance, there are some good ‘pocket-money’ souvenirs for children, books for adults, space-related items and postcards for people who like Postcrossing 😉

Overall, I would definitely recommend visiting Aerospace Bristol if you’re passionate about aviation. There are some things I do feel could be improved, though. For example, I did find the entry price a bit expensive, but you need to remember that they are a charity, and everything goes into preserving the museum; additionally, the free return ticket is also great when it’s included in the price.

I do also think that maybe a tent or shelter of some sort would be good when you need to walk to the Concorde hangar, as England is notorious for the rain – and even though it’s a short walk, it’s not very nice to get caught in the rain.

Finally, I don’t believe the Concorde is wheelchair accessible to go inside or to the top platform. I can understand, due to the age and how small the aircraft is, why that aspect isn’t wheelchair accessible, but I feel like there could at least be a lift to the top platform to view the Concorde from above.

Aerospace Bristol FAQ:

Aerospace Bristol: Everything You NEED To Know & Review – Conclusion

After reading this Aerospace Bristol Review, hopefully, you’ve learnt everything you need to know about it when visiting! Have you ever visited Aerospace Bristol? What is your Aerospace Bristol review if you have visited? If you’d like any more information, then feel free to contact me. If you’d like to read some more similar posts, then check out these ones:

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