Origins: From the Cold War to a Museum Legacy
The origins of the Air Force Space and Missile Museum are deeply intertwined with the history of Eglin Air Force Base itself. Established during World War II as a testing and training facility for aircraft and ordnance, Eglin quickly became a center for innovation in aerial warfare. By the 1950s, the Cold War had begun, and the United States was embroiled in a technological and strategic race with the Soviet Union.
It was during this period that the U.S. Air Force recognized the need to systematically document the rapid advancements in missile technology. Weapons systems, once experimental, were becoming central to national defense strategy. Ballistic missiles, guided systems, and early space launch vehicles represented a new frontier of military capability. To preserve this history and educate future generations, the Air Force began assembling artifacts, documents, and decommissioned missiles on-site, laying the foundation for what would become the museum.
The formal establishment of the Air Force Space and Missile Museum came in 1966, following years of ad hoc displays and preservation efforts. Located on the base at the historic Launch Complex 1, the museum was envisioned as a living archive of the Air Force’s missile programs and its contributions to space exploration. shutdown123