Collections

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Christchurch holds the national collection of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Museum’s role is to preserve and present the history of New Zealand’s military aviation through its collection. The collection is very diverse and includes objects covering the early days of New Zealand military aviation both prior to World War I and during this major conflict, the interwar years which saw the formation of the RNZAF in 1937, New Zealanders who fought in the RAF and in other Allied air forces during World War II, the RNZAF’s campaign in the Pacific, and the post-war period to the present day. The collection also includes objects from former enemy forces. The collection is owned by the RNZAF Museum Trust Board.

Visit the Our Collection page for detailed information on our collection as well as our pages on Conservation and Restoration and Exhibitions and Displays. You can also access our research collection by appointment, visit our Research page or open the Research Brochure below for more details.

Research Brochure Adobe Acrobat Document: 3.61 MB, 9 minutes @ 56kbps A guide for researchers and enquiries.

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand also offers a great variety of public programmes that allow you to explore our collection in a variety of ways and for visitors of all ages.