Aerospace Bristol is open seven days a week, generally 10am to 4.30pm, and your ticket includes free return visits for a whole year. Adult tickets run to roughly £20 online (a little more on arrival), and the centrepiece is stepping aboard the last Concorde ever built. It's out in Patchway, north Bristol, so it needs a car or a specific bus, not a stroll from the centre.
What Aerospace Bristol is
Aerospace Bristol is a museum on Hayes Way in Patchway, next to the former Filton Airfield, where every British-built Concorde made its maiden flight. The museum tells the story of a century of aviation manufacturing in the Bristol area, from early biplanes through two world wars to the space race, but the reason most people make the trip is the dedicated Concorde hangar: you can walk the cabin of Alpha Foxtrot, the last Concorde built and the last one to fly, on 26 November 2003.
Hours and prices
The museum is generally open 10am to 4.30pm, seven days a week, though hours can vary for events, maintenance or staff training, and it closes over Christmas (24 to 26 December). Check the current opening calendar on the Aerospace Bristol website before you travel, particularly around the festive period.
On price: the museum doesn't publish a fixed number on a page we could pull directly, but multiple current listings put adult admission at around £20 booked online (about £22 on the door), with children around £13.50 online. Every ticket doubles as a 12-month pass, so a single admission gets you unlimited return visits for a year. Treat these as approximate and check the live price on the Aerospace Bristol tickets page before booking, since museum pricing changes periodically. A separate guided tour of Hangar 16R, the Rolls-Royce engine collection, costs extra on top of admission.
Getting there
Aerospace Bristol is at Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol BS34 5BZ, close to the M5 and about 20 to 30 minutes' drive from the city centre depending on traffic. There's free on-site parking. It isn't realistically walkable from central Bristol or reachable quickly by the city's core bus network, so this is one for a car, taxi, or a specific bus route checked in advance on the day. Note the postcode doesn't drop you exactly at the entrance, so it's worth checking the map on the museum's own site before setting off.
Is it worth it?
If you or your family have any interest in aviation, yes. Walking through Concorde's cabin and cockpit is a genuinely rare experience, since only twenty were ever built and all are now grounded permanently. The wider galleries are strong on local industrial history too, covering how Filton and Patchway became a centre of British aircraft manufacturing. It's a half-day trip at minimum once you add the drive, so it works best paired with something else in north Bristol rather than squeezed into a single city-centre day.
Aerospace Bristol vs the harbourside museums
| Aerospace Bristol | SS Great Britain | M Shed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Patchway (drive needed) | Harbourside | Harbourside |
| Entry | Paid, ~£20 adult | Paid | Free |
| Ticket validity | 12 months | 12 months | N/A |
| Time needed | 2.5-3 hours | 2-3 hours | 1.5 hours |
| Best for | Aviation, Concorde | Maritime history | Bristol's own story |
If you're planning a wider museum day, see our best museums and galleries roundup for how these fit together, and our day trips from Bristol guide if you're combining it with somewhere else north of the city. Families should also check our Bristol with kids guide for what else pairs well with an aviation day out.
FAQs
How much does it cost to visit Aerospace Bristol?
Current listings put adult tickets at roughly £20 online and a little more on arrival, with children around £13.50 online, though the museum doesn't publish a fixed figure we could confirm directly, so check the live price on their tickets page before booking.
What are Aerospace Bristol's opening hours?
Generally 10am to 4.30pm, seven days a week, with closures on 24 to 26 December and occasional variations for events. Check the museum's opening hours page before travelling.
Can you actually go inside Concorde?
Yes. Admission includes walking through the cabin and cockpit of Alpha Foxtrot, the last Concorde ever built, housed in its own purpose-built hangar.
How do you get to Aerospace Bristol without a car?
It's difficult. The museum is in Patchway, north of the city near the M5, and isn't served well by central Bristol's bus network. A taxi or car is the realistic option for most visitors.
How long should you allow for a visit?
Around 2.5 to 3 hours for the galleries and the Concorde hangar, plus travel time each way since it's not central.
Is Aerospace Bristol good for young children?
Yes, there's an outdoor play area and children's trails aimed at younger visitors alongside the aircraft galleries, making it a reasonable family day out despite the distance from the centre.