What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
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.
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Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
COLLECTION CONNECTION: Meet Ruslan Ataria and Danielle Boyd, who have a special reason for coming to see our collection.
Ruslan’s great grandfather’s brother was Kiwi flyer Flight Sergeant James Barton.
James grew up in Gore and volunteered to join the RNZAF in 1942. He qualified as
a navigator in Canada before being posted to No. 626 Squadron flying Lancaster bombers.
On 12 May 1944 James and fellow Kiwi Colin Marriott were part of the crew of Lancaster JB409 flying on a raid on the Hasselt railway yards in Belgium.
The aircraft was attacked by a night fighter over Holland and severely damaged. It exploded on impact with the ground near Krabbendijke, killing all seven crew instantly.
The rescue axe, one of the few objects to survive, was retrieved from the crash site, and takes pride of place in our collection.
Ruslan says James’s sacrifice had always been remembered by the family, and seeing the axe was a source of pride.
James and Colin are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial in England and are on our Roll of Honour.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. ... See MoreSee Less
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WAITANGI DAY! Kia ora Aotearoa New Zealand, happy 186th birthday!
We've checked the weather and it looks like a perfect day to come museuming* with us.
We're open from 9.30am until 4.30pm at 45 Harvard Ave, Wigram, Christchurch.
*Museuming is a word we made up to describe discovering incredible Kiwi stories with us here at Wigram, the birthplace of the#WaitangiDay2026ngiday2026 ... See MoreSee Less
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BAFFIN CRASH: Today we remember three RNZAF aviators were lost in an accident of the coast of Christchurch in 1940.
On 5 February Blackburn Baffin NZ152 took off from RNZAF Station Wigram at 1210 on a message dropping training flight.
The Baffin climbed to 700 feet but stalled coming out of a turn and spun into the sea just off the Waimakariri River Mouth, killing all three men.
They were Flight Lieutenant Arthur Darvall Poulton, 41, from Christchurch; Aircraftman First Class Douglas Haig Birbeck, 23, from Petone and Aircraftman First Class William James Reynold Strachan, 34, from Dunedin.
Arthur Poulton, pictured, was a Canterbury flying pioneer. He was graduate 124 from the Canterbury Aviation Company flying training school at Sockburn in 1918.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. ... See MoreSee Less
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He looks to be standing in front of a Cauldron G.3?
RIP thank you for your service lest we forget