The Airborne & Special Operations Museum is run jointly by the non-profit Museum Foundation, made up of local business, civic and government leaders, and the Department of the Army. Opened August 2000, it now stands as a stunning symbol of the teamwork that Fayetteville and Fort Bragg have developed over the past eighty years. Located at 100 Bragg Boulevard at the intersection with Hay Street, the museum is an anchor for downtown revitalization and a shining example of the local community’s belief in the importance and viability of this historic part of the city.

A part of the U.S. Army Museum System, the museum tells the story of Army airborne and special operations units from their 1940 origin and movement to the Fayetteville area in March of 1942, through the present. The 59,000 square-foot, 22.5 million dollar museum houses many rare and impressive artifacts, including a C-47 “Skytrain” airplane suspended from the ceiling, complete with a paratrooper in the door. A fully restored CG-4A glider, one of only a handful that remain from WWII, is on display, along with two helicopters, a Sheridan tank, and a complete collection of uniforms, equipment and weapons spanning the sixty-year history of this exciting segment of the armed forces.

While the exhibit gallery provides a picture of the origins and progression of airborne and special operations training and warfare, the museum’s movie and motion simulator give visitors an up-close look at what the Army’s finest are capable of today. Narrated by Benjamin Franklin, the exclusive movie Descending from the Clouds is a larger than life depiction of modern airborne units in training. For those who need to be in on the action, a ride on the Pitch, Roll & Yaw Motion Simulator lets the visitor “ride along” as special operations soldiers jump, ski, ride and fly through high-speed training.

Museum hours: 10am - 5 pm, Tuesdays through Saturdays, Noon - 5 pm Sundays. Closed Monday; open Federal holiday Mondays. Admission is free; there is a charge for the movie and motion simulator. (910) 483-3003.

Click here to visit the museum web site.