New charge for overseas visitors
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.
We were sorry to have to charge after being free for so many years, but the charge is required to cover rising costs and to contribute to our new $16 million extension to house the newest members of our collection – our historic Hercules and Orion aircraft.
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New Exhibition
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
We are delighted to let you know that our latest exhibition, the Mighty Hercules, is now open. Come and visit and learn all about this extraordinary aircraft.
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#Extraordinaryaircraft
Help us build a home for our #extraordinaryaircraft
Our Lockheed C-130H (NZ) Hercules and P-3K2 Orion have had long-term preservation work completed so they can be safely stored while we work on plans for a new permanent exhibition space large enough to house them.
Measuring 29.8m from nose to tail, with a wingspan of 40.5m and a tail soaring to just under 11m high, the Hercules is too large for our current exhibition halls. The Orion is almost as tall and even longer – stretching to 36m thanks to its submarine-detecting tail boom.
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Exhibitions
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.
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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.
Our Aircraft
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ANZAC DAY AT THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM: All are welcome to come along to our Anzac Day commemoration today - here's what to expect.
At 11am there will be a flyover (weather and operational requirements permitting) by an RNZAF P-8 Poseidon aircraft from No. 5 Squadron.
Our Anzac Service gets under way at 12pm and will be led by Chaplain David Julian, from the New Zealand Army.
RNZAF Group Captain Andy Gallagher will deliver the address, and the service will be accompanied with music from the Salvation Army Band and the Girls' Choir Ōtautahi.
Lest we forget: On 25 April 1915, Australians and New Zealanders landed together at Gallipoli in Turkey at a spot later called Anzac Cove.
This date has been adopted ever since as the national day of remembrance in both countries.
We remember all those lost in conflicts since then and, while serving our country. We also acknowledge those servin#lestweforgets#AnzacDay2025z#RNZAF025 #rnzaf ... See MoreSee Less
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Photos from Theme Productions's post ... See MoreSee Less
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That looks great! Loved visiting the museum over Xmas holidays.
I'm glad I took the time to read their stories.
RNZAF MYSTERY SOLVED: The Gartside family in Gisborne is looking forward to an extra special Anzac Day after finding out an 82-year-old family war mystery had been solved.
John Gartside was born five years after World War Two ended. He was named after his uncle, RNZAF Warrant Officer John Gartside, who was missing presumed lost in action in 1943.
Early on the morning of 3 December 1943 26-year-old John, who was from Huntly, was part of a four-man crew aboard a No. 454 Squadron RAAF Baltimore when it took off on a photographic mission from Benghazi, Libya.
The Baltimore was attacked seven times by two German fighters before eventually being shot down just off the coast of Antikythera, a tiny Greek island between Crete and the Peloponnese.
There were three men still aboard the aircraft when it was attacked and shot down. The fourth crew member, pilot Flight Lieutenant William Horsley, was the sole survivor.
Warrant Officer John Gartside was the air gunner. The other men lost were Australian gunner Pilot Officer Colin William Walker, and navigator Flight Lieutenant Leslie Norman Row, who was British.
The younger John Gartside’s mother had told him all about his namesake uncle who, never made it back home to his family in Huntly.
He’d followed up by getting his late uncle's medals so that his memory could live on in the family.
Then, earlier this year, a call came from out of the blue to say the aircraft had been discovered off the coast of Greece.
To say John was excited to learn the plane had been recovered is an understatement.
“Heck yeah – I was excited to get the call from Australia. It’s amazing to get this news after 83 years, I was over the moon really. My daughter Darlene has been researching the story and she was just as happy as I was.’’
“It’s sad to think how young he was, and it will make Anzac Day a bit more special.’’
John and Darlene are also happy that the wreck will remain as it is.
“There were no remains in it so we feel like that is the right thing to do. It can stay there as a memorial.’’
Read John Gartside's story here:
airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/missing-rnzaf-airman-riddle-solved/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Lest we forget. 🇳🇿
RIP.Lest we forget.
We will remember him Lest we forget
That's an amazing story, honoured to have read it, so sad. We owe these people so much. Will never forget, the debt is immeasurable.
RIP
Blessings to the family.
RIP and thank you gentlemen 🌺🌺🌺
Lest we forget
In honour and remembrance of RNZAF Warrant Officer John Gartside - and his crew members Pilot Officer Colin William Walker and navigator Flight Lieutenant Leslie Norman Row 🙏
We will remember them all Lest We Forget 😢😢❤️❤️❤️
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FAVOURITE VISITORS OF THE DAY (so far at least!): The children and their parents from St George Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in Christchurch. Ka pai e hoa - lovely to see your smiling faces and cool hats!
#christchurchnz #stgeorgeorthodoxchurch ... See MoreSee Less
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Thank you so much Chris and the entire team, the kids had a lovely time and wonderful experience ☺️