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Home > Categories > Entertainment > Fixed Venues > Royal New Zealand Airforce Museum review
Everyone likes aeroplanes and at Christchurch the Air Force Museum has 28 beautifully restored classic aeroplanes on show. The names are famous - Spitfire, Canberra, Harvard, Vampire, Skyhawk, Mustang - to mention just a few. But the Air Force Museum is so much more than just aeroplanes.
Where else can you be immersed in the tragic and triumphant stories of the men and women who have served New Zealand in time of war and in peace? Where else can you sit in an aircraft gun turret and imagine what it must have been like night after night for the young man who had to sit in it? Where else can you walk through a bomb shelter or hear young Kiwis describe their wartime exploits? And where else can you read the poignant last letter home?
Thousands of artefacts, photographs, audio visual presentations, artworks and stories make up the experience of the Air Force Museum. From the Memorials housed in the Atrium through the History Galleries and Aircraft Hall, the story of New Zealand military aviation from the trenches to East Timor is brought imaginatively to life. Special temporary exhibitions in the galleries on the upper level add an extra dimension to your visit. And you could even try one of our three flight simulators. There is simply something for everyone.
Guides
Informed and informative Guides, many who served in World War Two, are a special complement to the Air Force Museum experience. They add a personal touch to any visit as they share their own stories while explaining the exhibits and displays.
Behind the Scenes Tours
Come and see the progress on our Kittyhawk, Vildebeest and Airspeed Oxford restoration projects, or check out the flight deck of a Bristol Freighter with daily 'Behind the Scenes' tours to the restoration and aircraft hangars. A must for all those interested in the technicalities.
Easy to get to
Only 15 minutes from the city centre, the Air Force Museum is located at 45 Harvard Avenue, just off Main South Road, Sockburn, Christchurch. There is plenty of free parking for cars, motorhomes and coaches.
Opening Hours
The Air Force Museum is open every day except Christmas day from 10am to 5pm
You will need at least an hour but ideally two to three hours to fully explore all the Air Force Museum has to offer.
Admission
Adult : $15
Students and Senior Citizens : $9
Child (school age) : $5
Family : $30
- (two adults and unlimited number of children)
Adult annual pass : $30
These prices are effective from 1 December 2003
Contact details
Air Force Museum
Private Bag 4739, Christchurch, New Zealand
Phone: 03 343-9532
Fax: 03 343-9533
E-mail: info@airforcemuseum.co.nz
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Review by: black-kat (Dave)
Dated: 22nd of July, 2004
Okay, okay i'm a huge aircraft/history/military buff. And when the opportunity to fly down to Christchurch to visit this Museum came up it was too good to pass up.
Upon arrival the the museum the first thing you see is 4 Aircraft hanging from the roof in the foyer, they are A replica of Richard Pearse's first plane, a Tigermoth, a Vampire Jet Fighter and a A4 Skyhawk.
You then wander through into the first area. This contains all manner of memorabilia and stories dating from when the Air Force was first formed (as part of the Defence Department) through to the current day (more or less). Upstairs from here is an area with changing displays and information. On from here it is off into the hanger where a large array of aircraft from our past is displayed. Of this static display some are permament and others are on a rotational basis. But there is certainly something here for everyone.
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Every day we create something with many a child's favourite toy - boxes and explore the endless possibilities and variety which the imagination can bring to it. We pretend to be dancers and doctors, pirate princesses and clown princes. The toys go into outer space, try out some new hairdos at a wig shop, and sail across the seas. Through the windows children dress up, visit a sculpture garden, climb a lighthouse, get a check up at the doctors and splash in puddles.
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