2024 – Celebrating 50 years of the Ashburton Aviation Museum

Open 7 days a week Phone: 03-308-6408

Help Our Museum

We’re looking skyward as we propel ourselves into our biggest take off yet!

2025 will see construction begin on a new complex to house our extensive collection of aircraft and other exhibits. 

We are incredibly excited about this project

We need your help!
Contribute, Join, Enjoy 

The extensions to the Museum will see a large increase in display space but it will also turn the museum into a complex where everything will be under one roof. The plans include a new reception area with a larger and more comfortable space for our shop and reception. An area where people can get a coffee and sit and watch the planes on the airfield is also planned. A small items display area will double as a conference centre which will be available for community groups. A modern Kitchen and facilities will also be part of the build. The museum is a community asset and we would like the community to see it as such and make use of the facilities. Museum offices etc will be housed on a mezzanine floor above the conference and small items area. 

Our Extension plans

hangar extension Project.
Thanks to all our current sponsors!

Heslerton Station $300,000.00 

Roger & Isla Jones $100,000.00 

BD Hall $100,000.00 

Philip & Pam Quaid $50,000.00 

Les & Elizabeth Vincent $10,000.00

R & A Ferriman $10,000.00

Johnston Brothers $10,000.00

Andrew Currie $5,000.00 

Ashburton Lions Club $5,000.00 

Estate Robin Corbett $5,000.00 

Laylands Trust $5000.00

Ted & Sue Rollinson $2500.00

Rolwood Farms Ltd $2500.00

A Smyth $1000.00

Ashburton Plains Rotary $1000.00

Pakeke Lions Charitable Trust $1000.00

WJ & MJ Doak $1000.00

Paton Trading $1000.00

TR & CB Petrie $1000.00

Stuckey Family $1000.00

JD Sim $500.00

C & M Ross $500.00

Ashburton Lions Club $400.00

J Tyrrell $300.00

Anna Reith $200.00

Bryan Moody $200.00

Ross Marfell $100.00

HA Mulligan $100.00

Adam Reed $100.00

O & L Wilson $100.00

T & A Scott $100.00

G & L Wilson $100.00

Les Rushton ZK-LAA

Les Rushton Aircraft Hangar

Donation form

Donation form

Join the museum:

Become a member of the Ashburton Aviation Museum 

Our membership has grown exponentially over the years. What started as a group of 80 has exploded to a staggering 410  

Being a member brings with it many benefits: 
Being a member of the Ashburton Aviation Museum is like joining a large family of like minded people who are all interested in Aviation. Everyone has a unique skill set that can be used somewhere in the museum. Some in the workshop, some in archives , some in Admin and some as museum guides. It is the camaraderie amongst members that is the bond between members. 

Guiding at the museum is a unique experience interacting with visitors from all around the world, who are also interested in aviation. Being able to pass on information about our exhibits is a very rewarding experience. Members end up being very proud of the museum that they have helped to create. 

You can help our museum continue to be a special asset to our region by taking visitors on guided tours around our museum or by sharing your skills (perhaps you’re an IT professional who can help with our software, or a mechanic who can help with parts and rebuilds, or a builder who can help with our general handy-man work) 

Wednesday and Saturdays are workshop sessions with members getting together to help with different projects and things on the ‘to-do’ list. These workshop sessions are also fondly referred to as ‘coffee and counselling’  sessions. A cuppa and a chat is compulsory and takes place at 10am