Visitor Centre – Historic Croydon Airport
Source: https://www.historiccroydonairport.org.uk/opening-hours
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:29
Visitor Centre – Historic Croydon Airport
Visitor Centre
Come and
Visit Us
Visit Us
The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is a volunteer led micro-museum which opened its doors in 2000. The Visitor Centre is located in Britain’s first integrated airport terminal and control tower at Airport House in Croydon.
How to visit
The Visitor Centre is open on the first Sunday of every month. Visitors must pre-book on a guided tour, which will take you around the building and into the museum and control tower. Allow an hour for the tour plus up to 30 minutes to view the museums on your own. Tour group sizes are about 12 visitors.
Tickets for the next open day are usually on sale two weeks in advance.
You can book for our next open day here:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/historic-croydon-airport-trust
Tickets are non-transferable.
Due to increasing numbers of people not turning up for their tours, we have moved to a upfront payment. We offer an Annual Pass for £10* if you are a UK taxpayer and Gift Aid your payment. This will help us with the maintenance of our archive collections and ensure the Visitor Centre remains open in the future. A one off ticket is availble for non UK taxpayers also for £10* adults and £2.50* for children. On the day visitors are subject to availability on a tour and the charge will be £11. *A booking platform fee applies.
Please ensure that you arrive in time for your tour. As with an airline flight please check-in 10 mins before your tour. If you arrive later than your tour start time, we will do our best to fit you into a later tour as we amy have fillled your place with a standby visitor. However, this may not always be possible if tours are fully booked. Due to access restrictions, it is not possible to explore the building independently (i.e. without being part of a tour).
Facilities
Car parking is free of charge for visitors; there is no need to register your car upon arrival.
There is bicycle parking available around the back of Airport House.
‘
Anita’s Kitchen
’
is usually open throughout the day, serving hot and cold drinks as well as cakes and light refreshments.
A stall with merchandise and books relating to Croydon Airport is located in the main booking hall. Purchases can be made in cash or by card (debit or credit). All proceeds fund the continued operation of the Visitor Centre.
We may have some space available to store large items such as buggies or large bags behind our reception desk subject to capacity . Items are left at the owners’ own risk.
Accessibility
Carers accompanying disabled visitors will not be asked for a donation.
Disabled parking bays are available in front of Airport House.
Assistance and guide dogs will be permitted into the building; no other animals are permitted.
Most of the guided tour will be on the ground floor. A lift is available to take visitors with limited mobility up to the museum. Please note that the control tower proper is only accessible by stairs.
If you have any additional access needs or queries, please contact us in advance of your visit to discuss these.
Airport House is a historic building and was not originally designed as a museum. We do our best to even out visitor flows during the day; however, during busy times certain parts of the building can get congested.
How to find us
The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is based at Airport House, Purley Way, Croydon, CR0 0XZ.
Arriving by car: Please note that Airport House is within ULEZ. When arriving on Purley Way, Airport House is located opposite the ‘Colonnades’ shopping area and signposted with brown signs. There is no need to register your car upon arrival and parking is free of charge.
Arriving by bus: Airport House is accessible by two bus routes, the 119 and the 289. Both stop outside Airport House (bus stop name ‘Croydon Airport’) or across the road at the ‘Colonnades’ shopping area.
Arriving by train: The nearest train station is Waddon, which is a 20 minute walk away. Alternatively bus 289 can be taken from Waddon station to Airport House (bus stop name ‘Croydon Airport’).
If travelling from East Croydon station, the 119 bus takes approximately 15 minutes to arrive at Airport House.
If travelling from Purley train station, the 289 bus takes approximately 10 minutes to arrive at Airport House.
Private Tours
By prior arrangement, we are able to offer a limited number of private guided tours for small groups on a weekday evening or during a weekend, in return for a donation to the airport charity. You will have your own guide and exclusive access to the control tower and museum. Please e-mail us at
bookings@historiccroydonairport.org.uk
for further information.
Home
Visitor Centre
Come and
Visit Us
Visit Us
The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is a volunteer led micro-museum which opened its doors in 2000. The Visitor Centre is located in Britain’s first integrated airport terminal and control tower at Airport House in Croydon.
How to visit
The Visitor Centre is open on the first Sunday of every month. Visitors must pre-book on a guided tour, which will take you around the building and into the museum and control tower. Allow an hour for the tour plus up to 30 minutes to view the museums on your own. Tour group sizes are about 12 visitors.
Tickets for the next open day are usually on sale two weeks in advance.
You can book for our next open day here:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/historic-croydon-airport-trust
Tickets are non-transferable.
Due to increasing numbers of people not turning up for their tours, we have moved to a upfront payment. We offer an Annual Pass for £10* if you are a UK taxpayer and Gift Aid your payment. This will help us with the maintenance of our archive collections and ensure the Visitor Centre remains open in the future. A one off ticket is availble for non UK taxpayers also for £10* adults and £2.50* for children. On the day visitors are subject to availability on a tour and the charge will be £11. *A booking platform fee applies.
Please ensure that you arrive in time for your tour. As with an airline flight please check-in 10 mins before your tour. If you arrive later than your tour start time, we will do our best to fit you into a later tour as we amy have fillled your place with a standby visitor. However, this may not always be possible if tours are fully booked. Due to access restrictions, it is not possible to explore the building independently (i.e. without being part of a tour).
Facilities
Car parking is free of charge for visitors; there is no need to register your car upon arrival.
There is bicycle parking available around the back of Airport House.
‘
Anita’s Kitchen
’
is usually open throughout the day, serving hot and cold drinks as well as cakes and light refreshments.
A stall with merchandise and books relating to Croydon Airport is located in the main booking hall. Purchases can be made in cash or by card (debit or credit). All proceeds fund the continued operation of the Visitor Centre.
We may have some space available to store large items such as buggies or large bags behind our reception desk subject to capacity . Items are left at the owners’ own risk.
Accessibility
Carers accompanying disabled visitors will not be asked for a donation.
Disabled parking bays are available in front of Airport House.
Assistance and guide dogs will be permitted into the building; no other animals are permitted.
Most of the guided tour will be on the ground floor. A lift is available to take visitors with limited mobility up to the museum. Please note that the control tower proper is only accessible by stairs.
If you have any additional access needs or queries, please contact us in advance of your visit to discuss these.
Airport House is a historic building and was not originally designed as a museum. We do our best to even out visitor flows during the day; however, during busy times certain parts of the building can get congested.
How to find us
The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is based at Airport House, Purley Way, Croydon, CR0 0XZ.
Arriving by car: Please note that Airport House is within ULEZ. When arriving on Purley Way, Airport House is located opposite the ‘Colonnades’ shopping area and signposted with brown signs. There is no need to register your car upon arrival and parking is free of charge.
Arriving by bus: Airport House is accessible by two bus routes, the 119 and the 289. Both stop outside Airport House (bus stop name ‘Croydon Airport’) or across the road at the ‘Colonnades’ shopping area.
Arriving by train: The nearest train station is Waddon, which is a 20 minute walk away. Alternatively bus 289 can be taken from Waddon station to Airport House (bus stop name ‘Croydon Airport’).
If travelling from East Croydon station, the 119 bus takes approximately 15 minutes to arrive at Airport House.
If travelling from Purley train station, the 289 bus takes approximately 10 minutes to arrive at Airport House.
Private Tours
By prior arrangement, we are able to offer a limited number of private guided tours for small groups on a weekday evening or during a weekend, in return for a donation to the airport charity. You will have your own guide and exclusive access to the control tower and museum. Please e-mail us at
bookings@historiccroydonairport.org.uk
for further information.
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