JR1306, Jun 2026
For enthusiasts and novices
Visiting the Aeroscopia Museum and the Airbus site, whether one is an aviation enthusiast or not, remains a very impressive experience. This museum, due to its originality and its location in the heart of the Airbus company, offers a cultural visit that can please both adults and children.During my visit, as part of a corporate weekend, I was also able to enjoy a tour of the Airbus site. Thanks to the tour guide and his extensive knowledge, I was able to identify numerous buildings, such as the 500-meter-long assembly building; the assembly line building for the A330; the parking area for the Beluga aircraft, numbered from 1 to 6; the building designated for the maintenance of these aircraft with its three gigantic entrance doors (one for the fuselage, one for each wing); the engine testing area (surrounded by a large wall where the aircraft are anchored to the ground, the wall protecting from the blast); the viewing platform for the A350 from which one can admire the assembly line with aircraft under construction. The room is rich in explanatory panels and covers each step of the construction of an aircraft (painting area, engine assembly, ground tests…). Our guide shows us assembly elements such as a rivet (an alloy of titanium and steel), a carbon fiber plate, and an aluminum plate, as well as wing fastening screws.After a good hour of touring, we return to the museum itself. In the parking lot, there is a Concorde, a Caravelle from the 1950s, and a Transall from the 1960s. At the entrance, a magnificent Lego piece representing an Airbus is displayed under a showcase. A piece that required months of work.
The tour begins with a corridor on either side of which illuminated round panels represent the history of aeronautics, in the broadest sense, as it spans from the flight of the soul in ancient Egypt to Le Bris's glider in 1868, including the flight of Icarus and Da Vinci's flying machines.
Then, we arrive at the large balcony overlooking the rest of the immense hall containing several aircraft. The tour of the large balcony begins with the showcases containing models of aircraft from 1900 to 2020. Next, it is adorned with a large mural made of photos, texts, and film displays extending from 1900 to 2014. Each section is separated by a burgundy column bearing a key date in the history of aeronautics. Thus, we move from the first leaps to the world conflicts, to the crossing of the Atlantic, to sporting feats… The texts are written in French, English, and Braille.Once the mural is traversed (there is a path for children, quite playful), one must turn their back to it and admire the various models at a scale of 1/25. Some therefore have unusual sizes, such as those from the A300 series. One downside: I found that some of the pieces were too dusty. A little maintenance wouldn't hurt. One panel recounts the history of the different speeds achieved by aircraft, and another recounts the history of Airbus, of course.Subsequently, one can begin to visit the interiors of certain aircraft such as the very vintage Concorde and the luxurious A300B, with its apartment. Different planes are suspended, such as the replica of Louis Bleriot's or the Mignet.
At the end of the large balcony, on the left, one descends into the hall, brushing against the tip of the Concorde's nose. One feels very small at the feet of these aerial monsters. Thus, one finds oneself in the presence of famous helicopters like the Gazelle or the Alouette. The panel of each aircraft is rich in information, detailing the flight history of the displayed aircraft and its technology (type of engine, dimensions…). One learns that the presented Concorde has made various presidential flights.Then, the visit continues with the Super Guppy, a cargo plane, whose cargo hold is open and inside which a canvas shaped to fit the hold has been stretched, allowing for the screening of a film about the Airbus project.Spare parts are displayed, as well as seats for testing them. Moreover, one can also admire the Concorde flight simulator, unique in France. But also the space dedicated to the air force with its radar console, ejector seat, a missile, a showcase on the Patrouille de France, and a model of in-flight refueling. More technical elements are displayed, such as the disassembled turbojet, explained piece by piece. A space that will be appreciated by children is the Behind the Scene, consisting of an interactive airport model, complemented by the alphabet used by pilots, a reproduction of an airplane cabin with four seats, and a presentation of the various professions in aeronautics…Personally, the part that interested me the most is the one dedicated to aerial archaeology, which presents remains of planes and their history. Thus, one can examine elements of the Messerschmitt 5145 that crashed in November 1943. The small cases containing remains light up and indicate, on an image, the part of the plane concerned.
I stopped in front of the remains of the Montaudran Lancaster displaying a period photo taken by the crew, a shell casing, a cup, and a watch. There are other showcases that must be discovered without missing a single detail.One must stop in front of the various displayed planes such as the Mirage III C, the Falcon 10, or… the Lego model of more than one and a half million pieces of the X-Wing Starfighter.The shop is nice, offers reasonable prices but no bags for purchased items! I could only spend a little over an hour in the museum, but I am convinced that one can easily stay there for two hours. The entrance is 16 euros, the reduced rate is 13 euros. If one wants a combined visit with the Airbus site, one must budget 26 euros. I find this honest.
