21 Airport Attractions to Make Your Layover More Enjoyable

If you’ve flown somewhere this summer, there’s a good chance it wasn’t easy. Around the world passengers are dealing with long lines, unexpected delays, and abrupt cancellations. There are a lot of reasons why air travel is so difficult right now, from staff shortages to bad weather to supply-chain issues. Most of the time, a long layover or delayed flight means eating overpriced airport food, browsing magazines, and generally managing grumpiness. But a couple extra hours in an airport can be surprisingly fun if you find yourself in the right place and know where to go.

There’s a lot of public art in and around airports, such as Denver’s Blue Mustang and the original Edvard Munch painting in the Oslo airport. Local history is also often on display. In New York, you can step back into the Golden Age of Air Travel at the TWA Flight Center, while in Athens, you can step back into the Golden Age of Greece at the airport’s own archaeology exhibit. Singapore’s Changi Airport is almost a destination unto itself, with mazes, slides, gardens, and a 130-foot waterfall, just to name a few of its offerings.

From a miniature movie theater to a butterfly garden, here are a few fascinating fixtures that you can find in airports around the world.