Aeroscopia Toulouse

In Toulouse, aviation history does not sit in an archive – it takes off every day from the runway next door. Right there, on the northern edge of Blagnac Airport and across from the hall where the A380 was once assembled, stands Aeroscopia. The museum brings together two Concordes, the second A380 ever built, the very first A320, a Super Guppy – and, since June 2026, as the world’s first museum, a BelugaST. For spotters, this is no rainy-day filler. It is the heart of any Toulouse trip.

A museum at Airbus’s home base

For decades, Toulouse has been the center of French and later European airliner manufacturing. This is where the Caravelle made its first flight on May 27, 1955, where the French Concordes were final-assembled, and where Airbus has its headquarters. That Blagnac should get its own aviation museum was therefore an obvious step. For a long time, though, historic aircraft stood scattered across factory grounds and association hangars.

That changed with Aeroscopia. The city of Blagnac had the museum built on the Pinot site, directly opposite the Jean-Luc Lagardère final assembly hall. According to reference works, the total cost was a good €21 million. The largest share was borne by the city of Blagnac, followed by Toulouse Métropole; Airbus, the region, the département and the association Aérothèque also contributed. The building was inaugurated on January 13, 2015, and the first visitors came the next day.

Who is behind Aeroscopia

The museum is run by Manatour, the company that also organizes the factory tours at Airbus. The aircraft themselves come from various owners. By far the largest part is provided by the association Ailes Anciennes Toulouse: according to reference works, it owns about four fifths of the visible aircraft. Added to that are loans from Airbus Heritage, the Académie de l’air et de l’espace and private collectors. A large part of the preservation work is therefore carried by volunteers – if you are interested, the article on volunteering in aviation museums is a good way in.

The success is clear: in the first year, around 218,000 visitors came according to reference works, and in 2025 it was a good 260,000. At the end of 2018, the city of Blagnac started the first major expansion with the north apron.

The exhibition hall

The hall is a building for large aircraft: about 100 meters long, 72 meters wide and 23 meters high, supported by a tubular steel truss. It was designed by the firm Cardete Huet. The building also includes a reception area with ticket desk and shop.

Concorde F-WTSB

The star of the hall is the Concorde F-WTSB, construction number 201. It was one of the pre-production aircraft and took off on its first flight in Toulouse on December 6, 1973. It never flew scheduled service: its job was testing. According to reference works, it also carried French presidents. It made its last flight on April 19, 1985, from Châteauroux to Toulouse, after a total of around 900 flight hours. Today it belongs to the Académie de l’air et de l’espace and can be walked through.

For you as a photographer, F-WTSB is a stroke of luck because it stands at eye level in the hall. The distinctive nose, the delta wings and the Olympus engine nacelles can be shot here from angles that are not possible on the apron.

Super Guppy F-BPPA

Right next to it stands an aircraft that everyone interested in Airbus logistics knows: the Super Guppy. From the early 1970s, these transporters with the bulging fuselage brought fuselage sections and wings from the European plants to final assembly in Toulouse. Two examples came from the USA, and two more were built under license in France by UTA Industries in 1982 and 1983 after Airbus had acquired the rights to the type. They were replaced by the Beluga in the 1990s.

The example at Aeroscopia carries the registration F-BPPA and, according to reference works, is serial number 0002, previously registered as N212AS. It belongs to Ailes Anciennes Toulouse and stands with its nose open. Over a walkway, you go straight into the huge cargo hold – a view that explains the volume of this aircraft better than any number.

A300B4 in the colors of F-WUAB

The third large aircraft you can walk through in the hall is an A300B4 from the Airbus Heritage collection. It is painted in the colors of the first A300 prototype and carries its registration F-WUAB. That recalls the beginning of Airbus history: with the A300 in 1972, everything began that is built today on the other side of the road. Inside, you can walk through the cabin.

Smaller types and curiosities

Around the three big ones is spread a dense collection of smaller aircraft, many from the Ailes Anciennes Toulouse holdings. For registration collectors, a slow walk-through pays off:

Add to that a replica of Clément Ader’s Éole, the electric test aircraft E-Fan, a Blériot XI replica under the ceiling and ultralight aircraft. According to the operator, there are also six interactive theme areas.

The south apron: Concorde F-BVFC and Caravelle

Outside, on an open area of about 5,000 square meters, the classics stand under open sky.

Concorde F-BVFC

The museum’s second Concorde is a genuine airline aircraft. F-BVFC, construction number 209, made its first flight on July 9, 1976, in Toulouse and then served with Air France. It flew its last scheduled service on May 30, 2003, from New York to Paris. On June 27, 2003, it came to Toulouse as flight AF6903 – according to reference works, a supersonic flight with a go-around in Toulouse before it landed at Airbus. In total, it logged over 14,300 flight hours. Since the opening in 2015, it has stood in front of the museum.

Caravelle 12 F-BTOE

Next to the Concorde stands the Caravelle 12 F-BTOE with construction number 280 in the colors of Air Inter, which once took over the aircraft. It is considered the last Caravelle built. The Series 12 was the stretched final version of the type, which was created in Toulouse and is unmistakable with its rear-mounted engines and triangular windows. How to reliably tell historic types apart is shown in the article Recognizing vintage aircraft in the sky.

According to the operator, the A321 factory tour also includes a visit to the A400M at Aeroscopia. Which aircraft is standing there at the moment is best clarified beforehand with the operator.

The north apron: prototypes and the A380

The biggest expansion since the opening is the north apron. At the end of 2018, construction began on an area of about two hectares including its own access building for the A380. At the end of August 2019, Airbus moved five aircraft onto the grounds on five consecutive days. On March 14, 2020, the north apron opened to visitors – three days before France went into the first COVID lockdown.

A380 F-WXXL (MSN 002)

The superjumbo first took off in Toulouse in 2005, back then with the first example F-WWOW. At Aeroscopia stands F-WXXL, the second aircraft built, a test vehicle from the test program. Another test aircraft, MSN 004, now stands at the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in Le Bourget. In Toulouse, you enter the aircraft via the access building, walk through the main deck and upper deck and look into the cockpit. If you otherwise only know the A380 in the sky, here you see how big the cabin really is. The difference from the jumbo in the sky is explained in the article A380 and Boeing 747.

The first A320 and the ATR prototypes

For Airbus fans, almost even more significant is the more inconspicuous aircraft next to it: F-WWAI is the A320 with construction number 001 – the starting point of the most successful airliner family in the world. Next to it stand the A340-600 F-WWCA and two turboprops from the Toulouse manufacturer ATR. The ATR 42-300 F-WEGC wears the paint scheme of the very first ATR prototype F-WEGA. All these aircraft still carry their test registrations with “F-W” – typical for test vehicles in France. More on the colors of test aircraft is in the article on House liveries of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer.

New since June 2026: the BelugaST F-GSTD

The latest attraction is an aircraft that was part of everyday life in the sky over Toulouse for decades. Airbus operated five A300-600ST BelugaSTs, which flew fuselage sections and wings between the plants in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. Step by step, the larger BelugaXL took over this task.

F-GSTD, BelugaST number 4 with construction number 776, was in service until September 2025 according to the museum, completing more than 4,400 flights. After that, it stood on the Airbus grounds in Toulouse. On June 24, 2026, it was towed to the museum and handed over to Aeroscopia, and since June 25, visitors can see it. According to the museum, it is the first time worldwide that a BelugaST has been permanently added to a museum collection.

In fall 2026, you see the Beluga only from the outside. According to the museum, conversion work is still needed for the interior, and there is no firm date for opening yet. The combination with the Super Guppy in the hall makes Aeroscopia the only place where you can directly compare two generations of the Airbus airlift.

The Airbus factory tour from Aeroscopia

Aeroscopia is also the meeting point for the factory tours that Manatour organizes for Airbus. According to the operator, these formats are available in fall 2026:

• A321 tour: a view from a lookout point onto the final assembly line in the Jean-Luc Lagardère hall, plus a visit to the A400M at Aeroscopia.
• A350 tour: a bus ride across the Airbus site of about 700 hectares and a stop at the final assembly line of the A350.
• Airbus Kids: interactive tour for six- to twelve-year-olds, only during school holidays.

Each tour lasts about 90 minutes and costs €18 for adults, €15 reduced. Outside the holidays, they take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays, during school holidays Monday through Saturday. You can combine the museum and factory tour on the same day; the tour has a fixed time, while you visit the museum at your own pace.

Photography in the museum and at the fence

Aeroscopia is a rare mix: museum and spotter location in one. The two parts demand different equipment, though.

In the hall

The large aircraft stand close together, and overall views of the Concorde or Super Guppy only work with a short focal length. A wide-angle or standard zoom is more important here than the telephoto – the basics are in the article on wide-angle and standard lenses. The hall light is weather-independent but mixed. A high ISO gets you more than a flash that reflects off paint and glass.

Outside and toward the runway

On the south and north aprons, you shoot in daylight. At midday the light is harsh; in the morning after opening and in the late afternoon, the fuselages look more three-dimensional. Keep the telephoto lens ready in between: from the grounds, you see the traffic at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, where Airbus and ATR handle test flights and deliveries. Where best to stand for that is described by the spot Aeroscopia at Toulouse-Blagnac, and the spots around the airport are summed up in the guide Plane spotting at Toulouse-Blagnac.

Planning your visit

Aeroscopia lies on Allée André Turcat in Blagnac, named after the test pilot who flew the first Concorde in 1969. Take tram T1 to the Beauzelle Aeroscopia stop. By car, take the Voie Lactée to the Aeroscopia exit; according to the operator, the museum has a parking lot with around 150 spaces, also for motorhomes.

According to the operator, the museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in fall 2026, until 7 p.m. during school holidays in French Zone C. Last admission is one hour before closing. Adults pay €16, reduced €13, and children under six are free. An annual pass costs €26, the family annual pass €80. Guided tours are available for a surcharge of €3.50. Check times and prices on the official website shortly before your visit. On site there is a restaurant and picnic tables.

Combining Aeroscopia with airports and museums

The most obvious partner is the airport next door: if you plan a whole day, combine the museum in the morning with spotting at the fence in the afternoon. Test flights of new A350s or A321s, deliveries and the BelugaXL make Toulouse one of the most exciting places for Airbus fans.

For a Concorde tour through France, continue on to Paris. At the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace stand the prototype F-WTSS, the production aircraft F-BTSD and the A380 MSN 004; you find the spotter info for it at the spot Musée de l’Air at Le Bourget Airport. The British counterpart, the last Concorde to fly, is shown by Aerospace Bristol, and another stands at the Brooklands Museum. In Germany, you find Concorde and Tu-144 side by side at the Technik Museum Sinsheim. The type’s whole story is told in the article on the Concorde.

Conclusion

Aeroscopia is the museum of the place where European commercial aviation is built. Two Concordes, the A380 MSN 002, the first A320, Caravelle, Super Guppy and now also the BelugaST tell the story from the first supersonic passenger jet to the Airbus airlift – and all of it across from the hall where the superjumbo was born.

What sets the museum apart from others is the neighborhood. You walk through an A380 and hear a test aircraft take off outside. With a factory tour and an afternoon at the fence, the visit becomes a complete spotter’s day in the Airbus city.