Up Up and Away!

For those of you who have begun to forget what a plane looks like, there’s a way that you can get your fix right here in Kyiv, but you’ll be keeping your feet on the ground. Not far away from the Kyiv Sikorsky (formeerly Zhuliany) airport you will find Ukraine’s state aviation museum, and after paying a laughably small entrance fee you’ll have the opportunity to look over aircraft of all kinds and ages. 

The museum was opened in 2003 and today it is home to something like 80 different aircraft, rotary and fixed wing, military and civilian, old and not so old. Most of the exhibits are closed and so you’ll only get to see them from the outside, while you can’t climb into the cockpit of the Soviet era MIG fighter jets, of which there are 11 in the collection, they do make for a cool selfie background.  Some of the exhibits, like a massive cargo helicopter painted in white United Nations livery, are open and you’re allowed (after paying a small additional fee) to get right inside and to see what the pilot’s perspective was.

Guaranteed fun day out for all of the family, and a fascinating learning opportunity too. Entrance to state museums in Ukraine is always good value and the standard entrance tickets here are just 60 UAH and 40 UAH for adults and kids respectively. There’s a super all inclusive access all (open) areas ticket priced at 100 UAH (still less that $4) and 80 UAH if you feel like splashing out.