What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Birthday Parties
Mission: Best birthday ever
Zip up a flight suit, grab your dog tags, and dive into a fully hosted birthday “mission”. From air & sea adventures for preschoolers to rescue and cadet challenges for older children. Our Programmes team runs the activities, the children get awesome photo moments (and party bags), and you can add catering through our café.
Book a birthday party
Latest Exhibition
Victory!
It is 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
Our Victory exhibition, upstairs in the atrium, marks this significant milestone in world history, and the story of the RNZAF.
Victory includes images and memories of Victory in Europe (VE) Day and Victory over Japan (VJ) Day which have been sourced from photographs, letters, postcards and personal histories in our collection.
Victory includes insights into how Kiwis celebrated, and how they felt.
Many found it difficult to rejoice after so much loss and suffering.
You’re welcome to come along and learn all about the end of World War Two with us.
Exhibition
The Mighty Hercules
The Mighty Hercules exhibition is on in the Cochrane Gallery upstairs in our atrium. Come and visit and learn all about this extraordinary aircraft.
Learn More
Update
Overseas visitor charge
A $15 entry charge was introduced for all international visitors to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand from 31 March 2025. Tickets available online or from our Welcome Desk on arrival.
The charge is required to cover rising costs and to contribute to our new $20 million extension to house the newest members of our collection – our historic Hercules and Orion aircraft.
Learn More
Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
BUS MAN’S HOLIDAY: When Ewan McArthur and his daughter Maddie visited this week they made straight for one of the stars of the show – our Avro Anson.
As well as working as General Manager at the Moorabbin Air Museum in Melbourne, Ewan is an Anson fanatic – and their home includes an Anson cockpit section.
Ansons are rock stars in Australia. The Royal Australian Air Force operated 1028 Ansons as maritime patrol aircraft and trainers, more than any other type.
As well as Ansons, our museums have a lot of other things in common. Namely Freighters, P-40s, Canberras, Vampires and Catalinas.
But what we don’t have – and is the pride of Moorabbin – is a Bristol Beaufighter.
Ewan says the museum concentrates on collecting Australian-built aircraft - and has examples of all but a few significant types.
The Beaufighter (second picture) is one of only two Australian built examples in the world, and the museum’s most ambitious new restoration is an Avro Lincoln (third picture).
Ewan was also excited to see our Airspeed Oxford – the first one he’s ever seen in the wild.
Thanks for your visit – what better to do on your holiday from away an aviation museum than visit a museum?
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Thanks for having us there and taking us on a quick tour. It’s great that we (as museums) are all focused on a common goal, no matter how big or small, and the exchange of information flows freely . We shall return!
Visited Moorabin years ago and was allowed into the Beaufighter cockpit. One of the guides said he had never been allowed in it ?
When you say Bristol Beaufighter....
Moorabin Air Museum is well worth a visit.
3 complete Beaufighters in museums and 3 under restoration
When I say Bristol Beaufighter....
Awesome write up thanks Dave
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Great turnout today for the monthly coffee bar gathering for all veterans and current serving personnel at the museum today.
This takes place on the last Friday of every month - so come along!!
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What time on the Fridays please?
Me and ‘Hek’…we worked at NZ Cadet Forces once upon a time!
Veterans' Hub, Marlborough was there today to catch up and chat.
A reminder that the MT are going to invade very soon.
LST Friday of the month anytime after 0930
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SUPERCARS VISIT: When Supercars rolled into town last month Brad Jones Racing driver Andre Heimgartner and broadcaster Richard Craill took the time to explore our museum and the history of Wigram as a motorsport track.
With Christchurch's Anna Collins and her 1974 Lola just down the road, they also took the chance to light up the taxiways - just a little bit - for old time's sake.
Here's some broadcast footage of their day at Wigram for your enjoyment.
It was a great to see those cars scoot across our historic pavement!
Wigram Airfield – home of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand – has a long and colourful history as a motor circuit which started back in 1949 when an estimated 30,000 spectators crowded in to watch the first race.
The Wigram event soon evolved into a huge event on the motorsport calendar. In 1951 the Lady Wigram Trophy was presented to the winner of the premier event and it became one of the most sought after trophies in motorsport.
Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren all raced at Wigram over the years.
Anna's Lola T332 raced here in the 1970s, and the 600 horsepower Chev V8 was singing a happy tune again.
Christchurch is a second home for Andre. He has completed more than 5000 laps at Ruapuna – but it was his first time at Wigram Airfield.
We’d like to thank Alistair Hey, Mark Collins, and Anna for bringing the Lola back home. And Graeme Trevor and David Abbott for all the assistance.
And thanks to Supercars for the footage.
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