Museums & Galleries · Berkshire
The Farnborough Centrifuge
📍 GU14 6FQ
Photo: N Chadwick (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- First British machine testing humans under high-G forces
- Oldest human centrifuge in the world, largely unchanged
- Only human centrifuge designed and built by British engineers
- Used by RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine for research and training
The Farnborough Centrifuge is a unique piece of 1950s British engineering, opened in 1955 as the first machine in Britain able to test human subjects and their equipment under high-G forces without the risks of real flight. It's believed to be the oldest human centrifuge in the world, designed and built entirely by British engineers, and used for decades by the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine. It suits those interested in aviation history and engineering heritage. Please note the site is currently closed. It sits in Rushmoor, within the Museums & Galleries category, close to North Camp station, with plenty of nearby accommodation options for anyone planning a visit to the wider area.
Practical details
- Open
- The Centrifuge is currently closed
From the attraction's own website on 25 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Guided Tours
- ✓ Parking
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🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to The Farnborough Centrifuge into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- North Camp 1.2 miles
- Farnborough Main 1.5 miles
- Ash Vale 1.7 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page