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
TIGER MOTH ON THE LOOSE: If you’re on the road in the Wigram/Sockburn areas of Ōtautahi Christchurch after 5pm today (Sunday) please drive carefully – we’ll be moving a de Havilland Tiger Moth on the back of a truck.
The aircraft is on the move for Operation Anzac Tiger – a special commemoration for Anzac Day.
We’re moving RNZAF Tiger Moth NZ825 to a new public location for a few weeks to commemorate the thousands of Kiwi aviators who learned to fly in Tiger Moths before heading off to the war In Europea, North Africa, South-east Asia and the Pacific.
We’ll send pictures and details of its new home once it is safely in place and all put back together later tonight.
In the meantime, if you see a Tiger on the loose, don’t call Animal Control.
We’ve got it under control!
#canterburyplanespotters #dehavillandtigermoth #tiger ... See MoreSee Less
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We will take care. NZ825 is a very delicate 82-year-old. She'll be rugged up against the cold.
Safe travels and delivery for this fine looking plane
Be sure to keep it on a short leash! Or it might scare the locals.....
Be mindful the other animals, or aircraft if you prefer, don't escape and flee whilst hangar doors are ajar!
I'm ok with a tiger being on the loose but a moth? Nope, no, never!
My Father in law, Joe Williams, flew this Tiger Moth as part of his initial pilot training in 1942. His training extended on to fly Harvards, Ansons and Oxford's. He then flew Catalinas and Sunderland's with 490 (NZ) Squadron based out of Jui, West Africa. He retired as a Wing Commander.
Will look good in Westfield
Yes - Protect her from the wind and hail. Precious, not many left in such good condition. Very valuable now days.
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🍾SUPER MYSTERY COCKPIT COMPETITION WINNER!🍾: Come on down Ray Pichon, winner of our latest mystery cockpit competition.
We are as confident as we can be that the mystery photo in our collection is of a C-130H cockpit, and Ray's name was the first out of the hat with the Lockheed as the answer.
Ray wins an Air Force Museum of New Zealand roundel mug. They are round with roundels and have regularly topped the World's Most Desirable Coffee Mug list*.
Congratulations to 'Sugar' Ray Pichon - his competition answers are 'sweet as sugar'.
If you email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz we will fire up the Tiger Moth and fly the coffee mug out to you.
*The annual World's Most Desirable Cof#mysterycockpit #mysterycockpitcompetitiony#wedonthaveacluec#impossiblepuzzle #wedonthaveaclue #impossiblepuzzle ... See MoreSee Less
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FREE EVENT TODAY! Do you have space-mad kids? Or wonder how, as a student, you can get involved with aerospace, astronomy, or aviation?
We are delighted to be hosting the Christchurch Rocketeers' Rockets & Runways - Astronautical Expo 2026 today.
Exhibits include:
- Watch a Hobby rocket launch and static rockets on display from the Christchurch Rocketeers, find out how you can get involved with rocketry in NZ!
- Explore the stars in the planetarium from Spaceward Bound!
- Find out how you can become an Aeronautical Engineer with Air New Zealand’s Training Academy!
- Explore the fundamentals of flight with the Royal Aeronautical Society!
- Learn about history’s famous rockets with the scale rocket display from It’s Not Rocket Science
- Learn about how you can get involved in Astronomy with Canterbury Astronomical Society
- See the awesome projects UC Aerospace is working on and some of their past competition winning rockets, and learn how Uni students can be involved in the aerospace industry!
- Talk Space and space companies with the experts, touch a piece of rocket that’s returned from space, and see the awesome collection of space memorabilia with the Christchurch Rocketeers!
- Take a photo with our huge inflatable Moon and post to social media for your chance to win a prize pack of aerospace goodies!
Sunday April 19th (last day of the school holidays) from 10am to 4pm at our place.
The Air Force Museum of New Zealand, 45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram.
#christchurchrocketeers #aerospace #spacewardbound ... See MoreSee Less
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