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
📸ANZAC CROWD📸: We had a record turnout at today's Anzac Day commemoration at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, and we'd like to thank everyone who attended.
Our oldest service person was WAAF Fay Hunt, a young 97. The youngest was three-week-old Riley Watkins, whose greatgrandfather David Iggo was a Spitfire pilot in No. 485 (New Zealand) Squadron.
Riley's special Anzac onesie featured a Spitfire, and he wore it with pride.
We were also delighted to see our local MP Megan Woods, and Councillor Mark Peters.
The Somali community was there in force for a meet up with members of No. 42 Squadron RNZAF. The squadron are veterans of the 1992/93 deployment to Somalia, and it was a great chance for them all to catch up and make connections.
See you all aga#RNZAFt year!
#rnzaf ... See MoreSee Less
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A beautiful service.
TIGER MOTH...... Westfield Riccaton Mall 🇳🇿🙏🕊️💔💛 Lest We Forget
A wonderful photo record of the day. ANZAC Day 2026. Well done all.
🫡
An awesome service as always. Seems the crowd is getting bigger each year.❤️
It was a wonderful service and you have captured the feeling of it so well. 🍻
A great turnout👌and yes maybe next year I'll be there👍
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WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM: We had a huge turnout today to remember the service and sacrifice of thousands of Kiwis at our Anzac Day commemoration.
On this day 111 years ago, Australians and New Zealanders landed together at Gallipoli in Turkey in what turned out to be an ill-fated attempt to capture the peninsula.
The date has been adopted ever since as the national day or remembrance for war dead in both countries.
Today’s commemoration service was led Chaplain David Julian and the address was given by Air Vice-Marshal Andy Woods.
Anzac Day this year coincided with a reunion for No. 42 Squadron veterans who served in Somalia.
Members of the Somali community met with the veterans, who were part of the Unified Task Force which flew essential supplies and support missions in Somalia in 1992 and 1993.
Huge thanks to the Salvation Army Band, Girls' Choir Ōtautahi and the Air Cadets.
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.
E kore rātou e kaumātuatia
Pēnei i a tātou kua mahue nei
E kore hoki rātou e ngoikore
Ahakoa pēhea i ngā āhuatanga o te wā
I te hekenga atu o te rā
Tae noa ki te aranga mai i te ata
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou.
#rnzaf #nzdf #anzacday ... See MoreSee Less
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A wonderful service, very moving words ❣️
We will remember them.
Thank you for hosting us. It is always moving to hear some of the stories.
Thank you it was very moving service also thank you to the Girls Choir Otoutahi brilliant
Lest We Forget
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GALLIPOLI TO GUADALCANAL: As we commemorate Anzac Day in 2026, it is worth remembering that some of those who participated in the failed campaign would later go on to serve in the RNZAF.
Some became famous, like Sir Keith Park, but all served with distinction in two world wars.
Sergeant Jack Lister Brathwaite was serving with the Mounted Signals Troop on Gallipoli. A copy of his diary is in our archives. It was kept between May and August 1915 reveals the true danger, claustrophobia and horror of the Gallipoli beachhead for the New Zealand troops involved.
On 9 August 1915, in the aftermath of the failed Chunuk Bair assault, he wrote:
"I can’t put my feelings into words, but it is the sentiments of all that the war here is just slaughter and we are all sick of it. One is not safe anywhere. I have seen wounded men lying in the dressing stations get hit again by stray bullets and in some cases get killed.''
"A bullet missed me by inches yesterday and hit some poor bugger in the stomach. His groans kept me awake all night. My bivvy is just above hospital tent. This morning a huge Turk high explosive shell fell right into a tent full of wounded and killed 6 and re-wounded 15. Several of the 6 were literally torn to pieces and the sight was too horrible to describe. One chap already had seven bullet wounds and a broken leg, but he is still alive, and the poor chap deserves to recover. Had narrow squeak from shrapnel yesterday but a miss is as good as a mile. It killed a man and 5 mules and wounded 2 other men, but I missed. I am afraid N.Z. people will get a shock when they see the list of casualties.”
Jack survived Gallipoli. He would go on to serve in Egypt and was commissioned and awarded the Military cross for gallantry in 1916.
In 1940, Jack applied and was accepted as an administration officer in the RNZAF, after putting his age back 10 years on his application!
He served at Ohakea and Ardmore and in 1945 was sent to Guadalcanal in the Pacific. Flight Lieutenant Jack Brathwaite MC died in 1980.
Image from the Harold Francis Beamish personal album collection of a view of what is thought to be Anzac Cove, 1915. ALB942099039
Gallipoli Medallion in case for Air Commodore Trevor Watts White NZ1079 & 73664. 1988/1082.7 ... See MoreSee Less
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Thank you for your story.