The Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford was initially opened to the public on the first Sunday of the month between April and October in 1977. Later on 1 May 1979 the museum comprising three hangar buildings, officially known as the Aerospace Museum, was open for regular visits. On 21 June 1998 the museum was expanded to included additional galleries and exhibitions. A new visitors centre was opened in 1998. On 13 May 2002 the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre was opened, following its relocation from Cardington in Bedfordshire. In 2007 the RAF Museum's latest landmark buildng, the National Cold War Exhibition, was opened to the public.

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, based in Shropshire, houses around sixty historic aircraft. These aircraft form five unique collections housed in hangars across the museum site, the National Cold War Exhibition, the Transport & Training Collection, the Research & Development Collection and the Warplanes Collection. These collections include aircraft recognising key aircraft types of the Royal Air Force, such as the Bristol Britannia transport aircraft, one of only two surviving examples of prototypes of the BAC TSR-2, an early example of a Supermarine Spitfire fighter and a unique trio of Britain's three Cold War "V-bombers" - the Valiant, Victor and Vulcan.