India’s one and only Naval Aviation Museum is situated along the Vasco-Bogmalo road barely six kilometers from the port city of Vasco-da-Gama.
This Naval Aviation Museum established in Oct’ 1998 is the only one of its kind in the whole of Asia.
May be perhaps, it has not received the publicity it rightly deserves and hence remained unvisited and unseen by many Goans.
The aviation arm of the Indian Navy had a modest beginning with the induction of ‘Short Sealand’ aircraft, in the year 1953, with 10 amphibian Sealand aircraft.
As the number and type of the aircraft grew and some got ‘phased out’ of the service, a need was felt to preserve the history, legacy and trace the growth of the naval aviation, and hence this museum, which is one of its kind in Asia.
The museum was inaugurated on 12th Oct 1998 by Admiral RH Tahiliani (Retd.)
The museum also houses a photo gallery that commemorates all the major naval battles that have taken place since the formation of the Indian Navy. The freedom struggle of Goa, notably the ‘Operation Vijay’ is depicted by a stunning series of black and white photographs.
The museum also boasts a gift shop that sells a number of souvenirs fashioned along the lines of the exhibits in the museum.
The museum is a great place to visit, not only for its uniqueness in subject matter, but also for an in-depth look at the glorious military history of the country. The museum is also meant to inspire people to look to the seas and the skies and their protectors.
