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

Lion Foundation $150,000

Community Trust of Mid South Canterbury $150,000

Roger & Isla Jones $100,000

BD Hall $100,000

Philip & Pam Quaid $50,000 

Air Rescue Trust $50,000

Laylands Trust $50,000

Talleys Group $20,000

Les & Elizabeth Vincent $10,000

R & A Ferriman $10,000

Carrfields $10,000

Johnston Brothers $10,000

Andrew Currie $5000 

Ashburton Lions Club $5000 

Estate Robin Corbett $5000

Laylands Trust $5000

AAM Social Club $4500

WJ & MJ Doak $4000

A Wakelin $3000

L Wakelin $3000

Ted & Sue Rollinson $2500

Rolwood Farms Ltd $2500

Brackleigh Farm $2000

J & L Robinson $2000

Anzco Foods $1500

A Smyth $1000

TEDBRI Fund $1000

D Symons $1000

Ashburton Plains Rotary $1000

Pakeke Lions Charitable Trust $1000

M & D Procter $1000

M & A Anderson $1000

SAANZ $1000

Pat Scotter $1000

WM & JD Jannett $1000

WJ & MJ Doak $1000

TR & CB Petrie $1000

Paton Trading $1000

Stuckey Family $1000

JD Sim $500

Seaview Lovett Farm $500

C & M Ross $500

Ashburton Toyota $500

Ashburton Lions Club $400

J Tyrrell $300

Anna Reith $200

Bryan Moody $200

Ross Family $200

Tree Frog Hedge Trimming $200

Duffell Family $200

Lovatt Family $200

Mike McKeown $100

Trevor and Edna-May Smith $100

Ross Marfell $100

HA Mulligan $100

Adam Reed $100

O & L Wilson $100

T & A Scott $100

G & L Wilson $100

Gavin Yates $100

Craig Matheson $100

D & J Johnson $100

Gordon Woods $100

DN Sherrat $100

Gary Williams $100

John Lissington $100

Les Rushton ZK-LAA

Les Rushton Aircraft Hangar

Robilliards Ashburton Display Furniture

Heartland Digital Print Brochure Printing

Fundraising thermometer showing 56% raised, with $1,400,000 out of a $2.5 million goal achieved.

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