Explore
Summer fun with us
Raining? Too hot? Either way we’ve got you covered!
Pop in today with the kids or grandkids and enjoy exploring New Zealand’s military aviation history with us. There’s plenty for the younger crowd to do with our Pop-Up library space, DropZone and Balloon Busters interactive games, behind-the-scenes tours, Captured! interactive, hunts and our Mosquito Mission simulator. There’s also our café on site.
We’re open each day (except Christmas Day) from 9.30am until 4.30pm and we have a HUGE free carpark. Campervans and caravans welcome!
Plan your visit
Pop in today with the kids or grandkids and enjoy exploring New Zealand’s military aviation history with us. There’s plenty for the younger crowd to do with our Pop-Up library space, DropZone and Balloon Busters interactive games, behind-the-scenes tours, Captured! interactive, hunts and our Mosquito Mission simulator. There’s also our café on site.
We’re open each day (except Christmas Day) from 9.30am until 4.30pm and we have a HUGE free carpark. Campervans and caravans welcome!
New exhibiton: Insights
Insights
Caldwell Gallery
From delicate pastel and crayon sketches to the brutality of a crash-damaged German bomber engine, Insights offers a tantalising peek at the breadth and depth of our collection. Like many museums, space constraints mean that only a fraction of our one million or so objects can ever be on display. It is a collection containing stories more than 100 years in the making and a source of endless fascination for the team of people who work to catalogue, conserve and care for it.
Find out more
From delicate pastel and crayon sketches to the brutality of a crash-damaged German bomber engine, Insights offers a tantalising peek at the breadth and depth of our collection. Like many museums, space constraints mean that only a fraction of our one million or so objects can ever be on display. It is a collection containing stories more than 100 years in the making and a source of endless fascination for the team of people who work to catalogue, conserve and care for it.
Featured Exhibition
P-3 Orion
Located upstairs in our Cochrane Gallery, our Orion exhibition traces the origins and service history of the RNZAF’s fleet of maritime aircraft which performed exceptional service for almost 60 years.
The exhibition includes a scale model of the aircraft dating back to 1968, and a 13-minute documentary featuring interviews with pilots and crew, and a yachtie rescued by the aircraft back in 1994.
P-3 Orion: The story of an extraordinary aircraft is not to be missed!
Learn more
The exhibition includes a scale model of the aircraft dating back to 1968, and a 13-minute documentary featuring interviews with pilots and crew, and a yachtie rescued by the aircraft back in 1994.
P-3 Orion: The story of an extraordinary aircraft is not to be missed!
Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
URGENT HOLIDAY MESSAGE: We're open for business as usual today from 9.30am until 4.30pm.
No matter what the weather is doing we’ve got you covered!
Entry is free so pop in today with the kids or grandkids and enjoy exploring New Zealand’s military aviation history at our place, 45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram, Christchurch.
There’s plenty for the younger crowd to do with our Pop-Up library space, DropZone and Balloon Busters interactive games, behind-the-scenes tours, Captured! interactive, hunts and our Mosquito Mission simulator. There’s also our café on site.
See you later! Ruff.
#christchurchnz #wigramskies #hornby ... See MoreSee Less
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Christmas message from the Chief of Air Force ... See MoreSee Less
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WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: Come on down Greg Jaques, winner of this week's mystery object competition.
Greg correctly identified that our mystery object was a fin from the tail of a Lockheed Hudson. No mystery to Greg!
The RNZAF operated 94 Hudsons from 1941 until 1948, and they were a workhorse during the war in the Pacific. Some 42 of the aircraft were lost in service during the war.
If you'd like to see a Hudson in the flesh, our fully restored NZ2013 awaits you and is open for appointments from 9.30am to 4.30pm each day.
Congratulations Greg - if you email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz we will arrange to have the calendar sent out to you by Bristol Freighter*.
If you're one of the hundreds of people who already won one of these coveted calendars, we will send a roundel mug instead.
Thanks to everyone who entered - the next competition promises to be even more difficult!
*Weat#MysteryObject
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Thanks team! I look forward to tracking the Big Bristol on flight radar is Dolly rated on Freighters? 😉 And have a safe and Merry Christmas team AFM ☺️
My Dad flew Hudsons, Corsairs and Kittyhawks in the Pacific.
Congratulations Greg Jaques
The loss rate is a little sobering
oh wow, more thsn a chokie fish...
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SANTA'S HELPERS: Last aircraft switcheroo of the year for our team as we prepare for the Ōtautahi Crafters Market tomorrow (Saturday).
The aircraft can be viewed on our daily behind-the-scenes tours which run at 11am, 1.30pm and 3pm.
Huge thanks to Santa's helpers for all their hard #OtautahiCraftersMarkett#VenuesOtautahiesOtautahi ... See MoreSee Less
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