Reviews of Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. (Museum) in Blenheim (Marlborough).
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
79 Aerodrome Road, Omaka, Blenheim 7272, New Zealand
Description
Information of Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, Museum in Blenheim (Marlborough)
Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.
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Map
Open hours of Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
Sunday
9am–5pm
Monday
9am–5pm
Tuesday
9am–5pm
Wednesday
9am–5pm
Thursday
9am–5pm
Friday
9am–5pm
Saturday
9am–5pm
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Reviews of Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
C.
This is an astonishing collection of rare aircraft from the first and second world wars.
The aircraft are preserved & maintained to such a high standard that some are even airworthy.
You can actually see the development of aircraft technology and design features through the years.
In addition, there are accounts of pilots on all sides of the conflicts, exhibits of actual uniforms, medals and equipment.
There are staff on hand to give detailed explanations and technical information.
Well worth the entrance fee - highly recommended!
k.
OMG the best museum ever. It was great, there are no words to describe how it leaves you feeling or even wondering how they do it. Well I do as my mum did it on a much smaller scale but this place you have to see before you leave this planet. Both WW1 and WW2 areas take you to another zone.
A.
Two separate exhibitions for WW1 and WW2. Planes and memorabilia are stunningly displayed in awesome tableaus. Plenty of historical and mechanical information plus human interest stories. Lovely little cafe and curio shop too.
S.
Amazing place to harness one's love for aviation history and to pay respects to the brave men and women of WW1 and WW2. The guides (Thank you Maurice) are extremely knowledgeable and have many stories to share.
J.
Very fascinating aviation museum with an extensive collection of war memorabilia and artefacts. The planes and their settings left me awestruck. Would recommend going to both exhibits. The Stalingrad experience was intense and may not be suitable for people who are sensitive to loud sounds, and/or being in the dark, however it does warn you of that before you go in. I thought it was well done. Special mentions to Peter Banks and Peter Jolly for sharing stories and information about the planes.
P.
Amazing, went to both exhibits. Highly recommend you do both if you do go there. Need to allow at least 2hrs so have time to take in all the information and see all the interesting WW1 and WW2 displays. Hard to believe people flew the planes you see!!! Peter Jackson has certainly added to the impact.
S.
What an interesting few hours we spent here. Loved the WWI section especially. The history & stories of the people & planes was amazing. We learnt so much.
Staff were helpful & sure knew the history of the planes.
B.
Great place to visit, spent a lot of time in both exhibit's amazing aviation history fabulously put together. Loved to look back in history so much to learn and see. Beautiful old aircraft restored and mannequins so lifelike
C.
Highly recommend the Boeing Stearman joy flight, fabulous! First time riding WWII era open cockpit classic aircraft.
C.
Fabulous display. Not only are the planes & memorabilia great but the human stories so moving. Both an interesting history lesson but a sobering human experience. Well worth a visit to both museums...just dress VERY VERY warm!
R.
Great museum
Can see they are supported by enthusiast and big sponsors.
Well worth a visit
J.
Oct2021: came here because it was raining bad outside. Did not want to spend a afternoon here. BUT... Gave myself a talking to, changed my attitude, and actually really VALUED my time spent here. The visual displays are AMAZING. Take your time, read the articles, watch the docos.
A few things to note.
#2 Hangars... If you can do both
#Its not cheap, but it's worth it
#You need TIME don't rush it. closes at 5pm, easy to lose a min of 1hr in each space.
A.
This is a fantastic museum, very well kept and the best collection of WW1 aeroplanes anywhere I have seen. Exhibits authentic although many must be replicas. Unfortunately didn't have enough time to visit the Classic car museum next door.
W.
Wow this is a must do. We visited both world war aviation displays. The incredible work being done by the Omaka Aviation Heritage people really stands out and yet again I have to marvel at the contribution by Sir Peter Jackson and the Weta Workshop team. I am so glad that we gave ourselves plenty of time to visit. What really stands out with the Museum and its displays are the many stories of the people from those war eras. Thank you to everyone who had the vision and commitment to bring us a museum that is so world class!
B.
What an incredible collection of history! I was a little skeptic at first as it’s not as cheap as your usual museum but it was incredible! These are not just old planes in an warehouse, each plan is on display with great information and lighting, the stories and history on the walls are in the cabinets are fantastic. The crashed plane jungle scene is so detailed. Super friendly guides answer any questions you have and have some great history to share. Don’t visit Blenheim without visiting the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre!
T.
Such a realistic and wonderful place to visit. Even if you are unfamiliar with (or dislike) World War , you will like this place.There was a lot to read and know, and I spent more than 2 hours doing so. Sir Peter did a fantastic job. The setup and the bgm was super.
The only thing the aviation center missing was there isn't any flight to walk in and discover ( wish they take this to consideration) and its bit expensive than expected.
But honestly I liked the place. 🙌
Y.
I went to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim...What a fantastic place!! From the Aircraft and lifelike Dioramas to the Memorabilia and signs showing a lot about Kiwis in the First and Second World Wars...Including the first man to parachute from an aircraft, Captain Clive Collett from Blenheim....Absolutely world class, I recommend it as a must see...
J.
Easy parking and outdoor eating places with shade.
Main event are the planes. World class museum . Original flying memorabilia and items that seem amazing that they ended up in Blenheim New Zealand.
Planes themselves shine in realistic situations created by Peter Jackson and friends.
Lots to see and good for children to. . Some such as battle in the air scenes are noisy for under fives.
Friendly staff are very knowledgeable.
Really enjoyed our 3 hours.
Will go again .
W.
Had great fun with my 5 year old daughter doing the Teddy Bear hunt during the school holidays. Managed to learn heaps of things on the way too! Planes kept beautifully and those working there were incredibly friendly and helpful. Just re the Stalingrad exhibit - if you have a young child or a child sensitive to loud noises you may need to give this a miss. Miss 5 went in but I gave her noise cancelling EarPods for cope 🤣 Very informative though so give it a go if you can
R.
Well worth the visit. A wee challenge for the kids to keep them engaged and lots of learn and check out for the adults
O.
Impressive!!! Love the museum, its very clean and well taken care of. If you enjoy history and plane, this is perfect place to come. Highly recommend. They also provide a guide for you to ask around if you are curious. Some of the plane are even from the real war flight.
B.
Great place to see old airplanes and engines. With awesome displays.
A.
Previously we did not know this place existed, however after our visit today we would highly recommend it. We could have spent twice as long reading and viewing the many interesting exhibits. Now we'd love to go to the air show to see the planes flying. Loved the whole experience.
M.
What an amazing aircraft museum! It has one of the best collections of WW1 and WW2 airplanes and memorabilia that I have ever seen, and the airplanes are not just parked and displayed as most museums do. They are placed in “active” positions with pilots and support people depicting actual events. Probably the most realistic and moving aircraft museum that I have ever seen.
Many of the airplanes are actually in “flyable” condition and are featured in historical air shows.
I particularly enjoyed the 3 dimensional model of the Red Baron’s crash site. There is even an actual piece of the Red Baron’s airplane on display. A very rare item!
Also, the museum (and much of the collection) is owned by the director of the Hobbit and LOR movies, Peter Jackson. The models and displays are fabricated by his studio, the Weta Studio, so the detail is amazing!
A.
Fabulous place to look and reflect on the aviation masters of the sky in both World War 1 and 2. Plus the addition of Weta Workshops mastery in some of the displays is amazing. Well worth a visit when you're in Blenheim!
A.
We spent two hours wandering through the Knights of the Skies WW1 exhibition, and could easily have spent more if we'd had time...
It is a fascinating and visually spectacular tour that will be interesting for anyone, whether you have an interest in the war and planes, or not.
The written stories associated with the dioramas bring them to life. But best of all, the guides who wander through the experience are able to answer any question you have and in our experience also added really interesting detail and side stories to what was on display. Thanks, Peter! - the guide on duty when we visited.
L.
Fascinating. Well presented, easy to follow and we had a guide named Eric who added lots of information.
S.
This is my second trip to here and loved it just as much as the first time. It's a real experience and would recommend it to all visitors, there's a discount for locals.
N.
Easily spent two hours admiring the airplanes, artefacts, and the stories behind them. Learned a lot from both exhibitions and I'm glad I visited both because the Dangerous Skies exhibition is an absolute gem. The centre guides are friendly and will go the extra mile to make your visit worthwhile. It's clear that a lot of care has gone into each display; right down to the hand painted murals.
C.
A must see experience. Very well done with an excellent Cafe to spend time in.
D.
The Museum is amazing. The attention to detail was incredible. I was having a great time until I went to the world war II exhibit to have a security man approach me and asked me why I wasn't wearing a mask which I then showed him the mask exemption pass that was given to me by the ministry of health as I can not wear a mask because of my extreme asthma. He stood there and steered at me intensely and came across passive aggressive like he did not believe what I was showing him was real. He kept steering at me untill I had to say "Is that alright with you"??? So some serious mask exemption discrimination going on there and it upset me that I was made to feel like I was some rule breaking criminal because of a health condition. Not impressed.
D.
Amazing collection of aircraft from both world wars. A lot of them set into interesting displays depicting war time scenes or their tragic fate.
Artifacts, medals, models weapons and clothing all help bring the displays to life.
Plenty of parking. Souvenirs, food and coffee all available.
Classic car museum right next door.
C.
Awesome affordable experience the work gone into it makes the experience even better than you could imagine. Will definitely be back again
R.
A fantastic Aviation museum with truly outstanding displays from 1st World War and 2nd World War. The short movie at the end is so realistic and moving showing how horrific War must be.
The museum should be an absolute must on everyone's to do list.
s.
Absolutely amazing exhibits. Totally absorbing and well worth the entry fee. Give yourself a couple of hours to enjoy the experience 🙂
G.
Amazing display of aeroplanes from WW1 era. Enjoyed by adults and kids today. If you breeze through and go 'yeah some nice planes' then you miss out and probably will rate this as expensive. You needs to read some stuff to understand the story behind the displays, then is becomes interesting and worthwhile.
O.
Great museum with a good display and well made large scale dioramas. Worth visiting.
H.
he Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, is a world-class destination for the appreciation of historic aircraft.
the centre tells the story of aviation during two World Wars, the time in which the most intense period of aviation development took place.
The old aircrafts display the creative design and classical beauty on the old pieces of aircrafts.
G.
Absolutely the best ever. Awesome experience. Kids loved it.
P.
Well worth a visit. Allow a good couple of hours to check out the exhibits. These are used to good effect to tell some interesting stories.
D.
Pretty amazing collection of memorabilia and planes but not really of interest to my kids so it was a rather expensive and quick visit unfortunately
L.
World class museum display of Peter Jacksons collection set in Weta workshops displays, real life sized setups, awesome information on each item. A must see.
A.
What a fantastic place to visit.... A MUST DO.
B.
What a fantastic experience! A great place to learn about air aces of the First and Second World Wars, as well a to get an incredibly sobering perspective on the human cost of victory in WWII. The Stalingrad short film will leave you speechless. The restored planes are amazing - and all WWII models are fully operational! Big hats off to Peter Jackson for taking on and funding this endeavor and educating the public!
S.
Nice collections of planes. We did WW2,but I am sure we would have lived doing WW1 too!
Guide was very helpful and happy to share stories.
T.
Spent an entire afternoon here, very interesting. Respectful work completed on these planes. Wow.
A.
Absolutely worth going through both exhibition halls.
So much history preserved and displayed with such care and respect.
Of all places in the world, the iron cross from the starboard side of the Red Baron's aircraft is on display here!
J.
Loved it. Looked at both World War Exhibits. Amazing. A must do while in Blenheim.
D.
Wow... just wow. Absolutely amazing. Peter Jackson's WW1 collection just blew me away. Then the WW2 collection was awesome too. You get a real life experience of what it was like at Stalingrad. If you have a student ID or gold card you get a discount too. Highly recommended...
H.
Bit over priced, something to do on a rainy day.
P.
Expensive but very interesting and well done. We spent a rainy afternoon here checking out both of the exhibitions. They are in 2 separate buildings to you might get a bit wet if you don't have jackets and/or an umbrella.
It cost $39 each to see both the WW1 and WW2 areas. The WW1 area is bigger and has more stuff in it. If you take your time to read all the info as we did it took about 3.5 hours to make it through both. It was warm inside the buildings and this was on a rainy day so be prepared. I had to take off a layer. We brought our own food and drinks that we ate on the lobby area to save a bit of cash. You are not allowed to take food and drink inside the exhibitions.
J.
So cool, a must do in Blenheim, kids loved it, amazing work by Weta workshop. Very reasonably priced.
P.
When we visited there was no need to go in Museum as there were lots of biplanes taxiing and taking off which were viewable without paying entrance fee plus you can see lots of a tovity on local airfield next door. Interesting car museum across the street featuring lots of cars from 1950's through to 1980's. $15 entrance well worth it. Cafe on site for refreshments too.
m.
We went on a Biplane for some acrobatics and it was just AWESOME! Would really be worth your while doing it!
B.
You can learn l lot from the introduction beside the model. The olds here can be in the past memory. I didn't see any child as they have noting to memorize. And the Classic Cars exhibition is just beside. However, I have to catch time so miss it. Overall, you can have it if you go through.
A.
Really we done, funded by Sir Peter Jackson, you can tell. Friendly staff guide you and answer your questions. Tickets $25 for WWI Exhibition, $20 for WWII and $39 for both. Worth the money. Wish there was more of the WWII stuff!
G.
Nice collection of airplanes and NZ/British/German/Soviet memorabillas, arranged in a spectacular way. Worth the visit if you have some extra time and money.
J.
Beautiful exhibits and we'll presented
R.
Blown away by this place. Interesting and informative. Both WWI and WWII exhibits worth a look.
T.
Unique view of the first world war from the airmans perspective starting from the very first attempts at employing aircraft in warfare. Even handed in its account fair warfare from all sides and perspectives with superb tableau of incidents, some astonishing, bringing true stories of heroism, courage and camaraderie among all forces in this first air war. You can see the movie directors eye in each and every display.marvellous.
A.
Very good museum. Both exhibitions were highly interesting. They build everything with real passion. At the beginning I thought it might be to expensive but it was absolutely worth it. You could also see that Peter Jackson took some of his best movie business contacts to create some cool scenes.
M.
It was amazing. So pleased we visited while in Blenheim. Both my father and grandfather were in the RNZAF. Worth a visit and the guides were very interesting.
E.
Great exhibition with plenty diorama based exhibit. Great service and the attendants inside were knowledgeable.
T.
Massive collection (memorabilia as well as planes) with beautiful exhibits. The combo ticket will give access to both WWI and WWII memorabilia. Incredible amount of material is one-of-a-kind to be found only in Omaka.
D.
By far the best aircraft museum in new Zealand. A beautiful collection of WWI and WWII craft, most still in working condition, set in fantastic displays. Just magnificent.
S.
Went to visit WW2 expo, and this was great! Quite a few planes (around 8) and very well setup. Actually learned quite a bit. And the people there are passionate about air planes and keen to share this passion.
L.
Fantastic. Slightly put off by having to pay one entry fee for EACH war, but great display
M.
Amazing Museum, even for not-airplane fans🤠 I only consider the price a little bit to steep and the temperature inside a little bit to cold😉
A.
A world class museum to compliment the world class wines that draw many to Blenheim. You are making a mistake if you don't include a stop (or two) here during your visit. We only visited the WWI exhibit but spent a good bit over an hour immersed in the compelling story of how aviation was refined in its very early years. The guide was helpful and friendly. The exhibit can be enjoyed at many levels.
K.
What an amazing place. The planes are incredible the staff on the floor were very helpful and super knowledgeable about the exhibits. A must see n Blenheim.
Weta workshops have done amazing work again
R.
I wouldn't have spent $99 for a family of four if it was not pouring rain. BUT I have to admit everything is nicely presented. They do put a lot of effort to it. My 7 year old boy clapped after viewing the 8 min movie in the WW2 zone.
S.
Outstanding museum with realistic dioramas done with the help of Sir Peter Jackson and Weta Studios. Particularly moving section on Stalingrad and the Russian front. Nice to see some recognition of the Russian effort in WWII.
T.
Amazing display with lots of history. You can watch some antique planes flying too.
B.
takes you back into history... great collection of WWI and WWII planes. a MUST VISIT place when in Blenheim
Strongly recommend..
S.
Never made it inside as just the few planes outside kept me entertained. Next time.. next time.
T.
It is a must visit place if you like to learn more about history during world war 1 and 2. The artwork from peter jackson and weta workshop team is amazing, very detailed especially the short vdo in the 'dangerous sky' section that explained about the war clearly and dramatically, like you were one of the soldiers who were hidden under the ruined construction, such a small musuem but it blows me away with their production. Even though we dont have any ancestors or people we know from war, it is still very touching.
A.
One of the best flight museums that I've been too. The sets that the planes are part off are really well done.
M.
An amazing collection of WW1 & WW2 aircraft owned by Sir Peter Jackson. Weta has done an amazing job. The guided tour was incredible. Recommended.
L.
What a great tribute to all the machines, aviators and support through the wars. Well done.
M.
Loved it, one of Blenheim's hidden treasures. Well worth the visit
J.
Well curated with extensive displays. WWI + WWII planes and memorabilia. HIGHLY recommend!
j.
Absolutely a must visit when in Blenheim. Fantastic displays and information.
S.
Absolutely first class, surpassed my expectations entirely, cannot wait to see the expansion in the following years.
Definitely will be back for more visits.
E.
Very nice execution of ww1 planes and history. Various unique planes or rsxactle based upon original drawing rebuild replicas in new zealand
T.
I found this a fascinating and informative museum. I recommend going to both the WW1 and WW2 exhibitions.
M.
Very very worthwhile the visit, the guides were extremely helpful and a source of good information. Spent many hours here and could have spent more, displays were amazing, though with some the lighting could have lifted and been more beneficial to review and see things, though there may be preservation behind that. Very pleased we made yhe effort to stop over.
R.
A must to visit when visiting Blenheim. Spent three hours here, looking and reading the displays, very interesting.
L.
Real good yeah. Even if you're not that interested in WWI or WWII, it's still good to see, but if you are a plane enthusiast this is a MUST DO. It will be a quick walk if you just look and walk through but the little info boards are quite interesting if you read them. The price isn't crazy but if you're not sure, maybe do one first and see if you like it. We did both and it was good - the Peter Jackson displays add an extra wow factor. Watch the 8 minute movie at the WWII side...good reminder of how privileged we are in modern times. There is a souvenir shop and little deli and coffee cart - did not have anything from there but looked good. The toilets could have been a bit neater and cleaner. Staff were very friendly though and it's all wheelchair accessible. It was a pleasant way of killing time while waiting to check into our next accommodation. We went on a rainy day, but apparently you can go for a little flight too - not sure how much that costs though.
M.
The museum is divided into two separate exhibits - WW1 & WW2. We viewed the WW1 exhibition. The quality of the displays is extraordinary. I can't wait to see the WW2 displays on my next visit. This is a must see when visiting Blenheim.
M.
These aircraft are displayed w such passion, interesting 🧐 stories and sobering statistics full credit to all those who are involved including guides. I will be back.
D.
This is a world-class air museum featuring several original WWI and WWII planes, plus all kinds of memorabilia, war posters and a theater where you re-live the battle for Stalingrad. A must-see!
S.
Such a beautiful plc to know that they have a wonderful memories of those pilots that gave up their lifes during the wars.
M.
Incredible, must-do.
T.
A very enjoyable and knowledge gaining couple of hours. One word can describe the displays. Awesome
I would fully recommend a visit just to see the hardships encountered by friend and foe.
The short 5 minute video of Stalingrad speaks volumes
N.
Son and partner had an incredible joy flight, 14yo said it was the best experience of his life! Tysm team.
S.
Loved our wander around the Omaka Aviation Centre. The exhibits have been put together really meticulously with excellent accompanying photos and information. Really enjoyed being chatted to by an Omaka volunteer/staff member as we looked around the WWII section (wish I'd taken note of his name). He was very knowledgeable and easy to chat to.
J.
A fabulous collection of aircraft displayed in a thoughtfully put together facility. Their WWI collection is world class!
J.
Must visit, all ages will enjoy. This was an absolutely exception place to visit.
Take the time and go there.
B.
This is a must do place in New Zealand Sir Peter Jackson as been involved in this from the start most of the aircraft and artefact belong to him and you can see that he as worked his magic and made this museum come to life this isn't just a museum it's a experience you will need at least a half day minimum the staff are friendly and helpful be prepared because it can get busy
L.
Great experience and well worth a visit
We did both WW1 And WW2 exhibits
Good food and coffee and friendly helpful staff
B.
Wonderful museum. The WW1 exhibits are some of the finest I have seen in aviation museums around the world. But, take a look at the wealth of history in the display cabinets. Where they got some of those goodies from must be a best kept secret I would suggest.
E.
So good! We only had time to chose 1 of the exhibits, so chose The Knights of the Skies. Even if you are not into planes the exhibit has something for everyone.
The detail is extraodinary. I really enjoyed the paintings in the central rooms and the scene layout of each plane. Just incredible!
R.
There are no words to describe how good this place really is. Sad to see the stories and huge loss of life. Have to visit both places. Well done highly recommended.
G.
Very cool, if you’re interested in aircraft or the world wars you’ll love this place
j.
We were lucky enough to see the planes practicing for upcoming airshow. Well worth the money another Peter Jackson marvel.
J.
absolutely amazing....real life looking displays....very nice cafe...very nice staff....just a nice place to visit
j.
One of the most impressive museums ever! Models that more more like movie sets than a museum.
A.
Didn't actually go to the museum as there were multiple planes taking off to watch. The outdoor setup was amazing to view planes taking off from lots of angles. People were so friendly. Little educational write ups outside about the planes to such a great place.
A.
love visiting this place. coffee and muffins
good price
B.
Amazing display of WW1 &WW2 planes. Well worth a visit.
D.
2nd time of visiting this wonderful place. They have added some extra historical data and displays. The audio visual enactment of the attack on Stalingrad amazing. Both 1st and 2nd World War displays are worth the entry fee charges
K.
Must-visit for any aviation or history buff! Really well set up, lots of replica and airworthy aircraft on display with excellent supplementary exhibits. Also next to a very active airfield with lots of activity.
Tip: if you're coming from a cruise ship on a self-booked excursion from Picton, recommend renting a car or booking a taxi (Marlborough Taxis) in advance.
C.
Sir Peter Jackson's collection on WWI airplanes ✈ is worth seeing.
I.
This is a must do if you have the slightest interest in history and planes. The collection of WW1 planes and the care in how they are presented is the best I have seen in New Zealand and the guides are wonderful sources of extra information. But don't just take my word for it, see for yourselves. Oh and when you have done one go see the WW2 collection. Don't rush it, it's worth taking time over
L.
Beautiful place to visit
Amazing displays of Air Force History
Great Cafe
R.
Fantastic creativity in the displays, and the associated stories were amazing. History of war isn't something I'm usually interested in, but these were inspiring and brilliantly brought to life. Quite pricey though - $25 each for the one hall which took around 45 min.
T.
Excellant a must see and staff very helpful and knowledgeable take your time to enjoy ps.. good cafe also
M.
Wow what an Amazing place, the Exhibition is Amazingly well put together. Staff are great, a good day out well recommend. 😎
N.
Very good collection, the setup and figure is really well presented
L.
Was OK worth going to if wet or enjoy old planes look of book me tickets otherwise expensive
I.
Excellent displays depicting the aircraft as they would have been seen during the wars.
C.
World War 1 would definitely visit again.
Ww2 not as good.
B.
Not to be missed when in Marlborough. Simply superb. Set aside 2-3 hours to see both displays
S.
Visited the WW2 section, which had a great collection of planes as well as some great stories about those who fought in the war. The movie room plays a very good video about the impact war had.
Other than the movie, there isn't much modern interactive exhibits, meaning young children might get bored quick.
Read almost everything and about 3 hours, looking forward to seeing the WW1 section next visit.
P.
Loved it! If you're interested in aviation it's a must see.
D.
Fantastic experience, great informative guides and a lovely cafe at reception too
J.
Great place for aviation history. With a wide variety of nations planes, and top notch visual effects
N.
Wow. An amazing little museum. So well done
c.
Absolutely amazing! The time, effort and passion gone into these displays is obvious! Well worth the visit, so much to see! Looking forward to going again!
R.
I saw the World War 2 display in early 2020. It was brilliant. Now I have come back and seen th World War 1 display. It was just as good. Amazing restoration of the planes and other cool exhibits. Really enjoyed the Red Baron story.
K.
Incredible displays - both the WW1 and WW2 are equally as evocative, educational and emotionally charged. Highly recommended.
p.
Great place to visit, awesome displays well worth going.
G.
Fantastic place to spend a few hours
The air show must be great
05/09/2018
R.
Fantastic place to visit. A lot of history presented in a spectacular Peter Jackson way.
T.
What a cool place. My son and I rocked up at 4.30 with 30m left to see the place. We had a really neat bloke take the time to talk us through the planes and offer some history which really made the experience. We will be back thank you
J.
There have so many times I've driven by the signs for Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre and have always thought I'd like to go there because I have heard such good things about it. Today was the day!
We went to both the WW I & II exhibits. Amazing. World class exhibition. I'm sure if I go again, I would see things I missed this time.
Highly recommend.
N.
Awesome place to go
A.
Amazingly worth the visit. Really good exhibit and all the information are very well presented. Also there are roaming customer service person roaming around that you can have a chat with or give you more facts.
J.
Well worth a look... An alteration in entrance fees could be considered, a combined price I would have thought for both exhibitions, alot of customers once given the option only went for WW2 Exhibition because of the cost.
K.
What a place, friendly pleasant knowledgeable staff. Plenty of car variety and all New Zealand classic cars and a broad history of our roading history.
Great place for an hour or two or beautifully restored or kept vehicles and some super rare vehicles including a Vincent motorcycle.
H.
This is an extremely well done display of aviation history, even for someone who isn't particularly interested in the subject.
What stood out for me was the life like figures, mostly made by Weta Workshop, in and around the planes along with the stories of many of the pilots.
I didn't know that there was a significant contribution by women pilot's in Britain, Germany and Russia.
You should allow a couple of hours for both displays although you can choose to do only one. I'd probably go for the WW1 display if I was only doing one, but really they are both very well done.
Top marks.
L.
Absolutely a must see if visiting Blenheim. As a Recreational pilot I was very impressed with the restoration of the WW1 and WW 2 aircraft presented - many to airworthiness to be flown at airshows.
Outstanding and something NZ can be proud of. 👍
B.
Fantastic range of memorabilia and collection of aircraft. Must visit for any aircraft enthusiasts
H.
Two exhibits to choose from. Enjoy the world war one aircraft or world war two series or maybe the combo. Lots of artefacts such as uniforms also. Allow yourself up to two hours per exhibit. Very professional display with Weta workshop input.
K.
Great museum if you love aviation and its history. Great displays with examples of many different Great War aircraft plus much other historic memorabilia. Well worth a visit. Be prepared to spent a few hour there.
R.
Really really interesting exhibition. Worth a visit for sure
S.
Cool little place in Blenheim. The security guy was very friendly and informative
H.
We visited the WW2 exhibit for the first time and it is fabulous. The information is really well put together and the siege of Stalingrad movie is an unforgettable experience. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this taonga.
T.
Better than I expected. I thought it would be of little interest and only went as a +1 with husband.
I was enthralled. The people stories from both sides were captivating and as for the Stalingrad Theatre...wow.
It's a place a plan to visit again.
P.
The creativity and the drama! Fantastic collection 👌
C.
Awesome place to visit. Thank you sir Peter Jackson.
M.
What a fantastic place to visit. Very well done
A.
Enjoyed it good for plane and world war lovers. Would definitely recommend.
J.
This place is awesome, very good and informative displays of the ww1 and ww2. Great visit if you are in the area.
S.
Just amazing.
Well organized and presented. Wonderful to see the provision of wheel chairs to allow longer viewing for a wider range of people.
Exhibit and Cafe also very accessible
j.
Very well organized displays with information boards
j.
Great place allow plenty of time to look around
A.
Absolutely brilliant, loved it, could have spent a long time in there, well worth visiting especially if you love planes and the history, brilliant 👍👍👍👍👍
D.
Very friendly staff and amazing exhibits.
G.
This is a must see place to visit. Set aside a good hour to read the great stories.
L.
Amazing visit, a must do for anyone interested in aviation or WWI and WW2. Beautiful storytelling!
M.
Incredible aircraft displays from the world wars. Amazing dioramas and some very special aircraft on display. A little pricey. An activity sheet / hunt kept my two girls entertained while I looked at the exhibits.
B.
At first we thought the entry price was quite high, but the exhibition is extraordinary, with really realistic looking sceneries and planes and people standing there. There is a guide around that explains more details of how the planes got to the museum.
Our boy loved the short movie clips and also asked about more and more detail.
Very nice museum for all ages!
k.
What a great place to visit. It will take a couple of hours but well worth it
P.
Found the exhibitions really interesting and liked being able to move through at own pace. Would recommend this to friends as worthwhile, but the Coffee wasn't great...
N.
WW 1 site great, WW 2 site amazing well worth the entry price. Allow 2-3 hours to take in both sites. Keep up the great work. Guides friendly and informative.
R.
Pretty cool setup, but the customer service let it down a bit. We had traveled quite far to come and see this and were only able to see half of it even though there was plenty of time before closing. We were happy to rush around to be out by closing time, but staff were not very obliging. We arrived at 3 and closing time was 4pm. Was also on the high side price wise compared to similar places.
F.
Fabulous informative place to visit for all ages. Exceptional displays with a superb selection of WW1 and WW2 planes and memorabilia. Educational for children. Nice cafe too. Lovely staff. A must do when visiting Marlborough.
R.
Amazing..so well done! Very interesting and informative... so much to look at. We only managed to do the WW1 display but will definitely be back to see the rest!
S.
We were here this morning and it was so wonderful to see so many fully functioning but also beautifully restored planes. The volunteers were so friendly as we walked around and gave us so much interesting insight. Can't wait to come back and hopefully see some of the planes in the air!
R.
Brilliant plane displays and super impressive in the way it's all setup and presented. Well worth the visit to both WWI & WWII exhibits. Really fascinating reading all the info boards. Equally amazing is all the memorabilia on display. Some incredible history on display. Loved it.
B.
Amazing place, friendly helpful staff a must see when in Blenheim,
The restoration work by a very dedicated talented team is unbelievable. Don't miss a visit allow plenty of time
A.
Great place more than just another museum
B.
This was great. Cost $25 for entry to one exhibit so not cheap bit great staff, planes were awesome to see, lots of information displayed creatively. Worth going in my view if you are okay with the price.
D.
Wonderful collection of all the different waring nations' planes. Well worth paying for the guided tours. A lot of the planes are shown in dramatic situations. The planes are complemented with uniforms & lots of other memorabilia.
Very easy to find & well sign posted. Excellent cafe for coffee & buns in the reception area.
M.
This is probably the best WW1 aviation museum I have been to. A mix of original and replica planes beautifully staged. A lot of uniforms and other memorabilia and an impressive collection of artwork by the likes of Ivan Berryman and Robert Taylor. I thoroughly enjoyed this museum and the accompanying WW2 exhibits are just as good, make sure you see both.
M.
This is a world-class Aviation Heritage Museum right here in our backyard, thanks to Sir Peter Jackson. It's just a short detour to Blenheim from Picton so be sure to visit this as it's worthwhile spending time in and getting acquainted with some of the most interesting times in aviation history. "Knights of the Sky" features WW1 exhibits (real and replicas, & memorabilia) while the smaller "Dangerous Skies" features WW2 exhibits; all are vividly presented and with interesting dioramas, thanks to the talented expertise of Wingnut Films and Weta Workshop. There is also a short and surreal, immersive, audio-visual presentation of the Stalingrad bombardment.
The red plane (pic 1) is of the type (Jasta 11) used by the Red Baron (German Ace, Manfred von Richthofen) and his squad in WW1 in their dog fights against the Allied fighter planes.
As for the Red Baron himself who downed 80 airplanes, there is a dedicated exhibit of his final moments, "The Death of the Red Baron" (pic 8), when he landed his red Fokker for the last time, behind enemy lines. This was a momentous victory for the Allies as it marked a turning - point in the aerial war when they finally gained total air supremacy in WW1. (This war also provided the initial impetus for the rapid evolution of aircraft and aerial strategy into an integral and vital part of modern-day warfare as seen in WW2 and beyond.)
The exhibit in which the pilot is hanging out of his cockpit of his S.E.5a tells the brave story of Keith 'Grid' Caldwell, who is NZ's very own Ace with 25 aerial victories over the enemy. He not only survived the first war but lived to serve again in the first half of WW2 as the CO of RNZAF's Woodbourne Base.
Visit OAHC for more, including women heroines' history and the important roles they played such as the heroic, Russian "Night Witches" (588 Night Bomber Regiment) who more than harassed the enemy flying in their Po-2 biplanes, described as "coffins with wings".
S.
Great exhibits .Well worth a visit.
C.
Beautiful place and nice people. I had a amazing ride with a classic aircraft.
C.
Not what I expected, a little disappointing and unable to get flight on bi-plane. Enquired about 20 minute flight at 12pm, someone had booked at 1pm and had to wait till 2 or 2.30.
J.
Really enjoyed both exhibits, fantastic recreations of the planes (wouldn't have been able to tell if guide hadn't pointed them out)
M.
The presentation of the aeroplanes is outstanding. A variety of situations are used and the realistic manikins give a human element. In addition, a huge amount of related artifacts are displayed, grouped in themes. Some must be extremely rare. A thoroughly absorbing experience.
A.
Awesome displays awesome staff, so much to look at and learn well worth the visit. And a nice cafe to have a coffee and a quick bite to eat.
R.
What a great place, but like a lot of museum they need more seat for people who don't need a wheel chair. Would recommend people going to this visit this place
C.
Well worthwhile the visit a great tribute too all the people who lost there lives in both world wars a must for everyone to see.
M.
Very well done. Lifelike displays and amazing aircraft collection.
j.
An absolutely outstanding display, WW1 and some wonderful exhibs courtesy of Peter Jackson. WW2 exhibs show the amazing advancements in aero technology. Well worth a visit
D.
I really liked the museum, it was one of the best car museums I've been to and I cant wait to come back again to get some photos of that Datsun 1600
M.
Brilliant. Went for the mossie. Whole experience was amazing.
P.
This is superb. There is so much information and things are so well done and displayed. There is a complete history of the first world war flying machines and a very in-depth look at some of the pilots that took part in the conflict . It was a little chilly inside but then it was the middle of winter . $25 entry for an adult which was good value for the amount inside . Set in the Aerodrome of Blenheim even a chance of seeing some aircraft take off. Allow about one hour.
C.
Wow! This place is worth every penny.
We visited just the WWII exhibition but enjoyed every minute. The aircraft are so close and you can see all the details. The information boards are interesting to read and the item cases are laid out well with interesting artifacts. The Stalingrad digital exhibition was impressive. The effects were fab and the facts were startlingly, they brought a tear to my eye.
We spent an hour and a half there and loved it!
L.
Very interesting displays from WW1 and WW2 - extremely well presented. We were there almost 3 hours! Fascinating stories of heroism from both wars and an 8 minute film experience of the bombing of Stalingrad - quite chilling! Great little cafe too. The only disappointment was the Spitfire was not on display.
J.
This is not just a collection of planes and objects. Displays are very realistic and made by the best in the film business. Initially parts were supported with sound but that got too scary!
Guides can respond to your questions.
I have seen planes in many museums but this one is a jewel. My visit refers to the WW I part.
Restaurant serves a good choice for lunch. You can pause your visit to get something to eat or drink. And of course they have a nice gift shop as well.
A.
Absolutely loved the WW1 and WW2 exhibitions. Highly recommended, especially for military history lovers. Excellent variety of items on display and great write-ups as well. Guides and staff were very helpful. Do visit if you are in the area.
J.
Fantastic collection with each exhibit arranged to tell a story, you can really see Peter Jackson's influence here. Fantastically knowledgeable staff... This exhibit is world class.
Came back for the Easter Airshow - and that was spectacular!
J.
Fascinating, spacious mix of displays about airmen and women and aircraft. Beautiful attention to detail and aimed at adults. There are no children's activities here but plenty to see and engage none the less. I wholeheartedly recommend this museum
K.
OMG This is amazing. Been to several aviation museums but never in one like this. Other museum are dirty old hangars filled with old planes but not this one.
Peter Jackson is apparently an aviation enthusiast and the person behind this museum. Everything is polished and well thought out. He had Weta Studios (the same that did Lord of the Rings for him) design everything like film scenes.
My wife does NOT like airplanes or aviation museums. She came along since I wanted to go. But she was blown away and loved this museum.
Where's the 6* option on this review?
V.
Fantastic place - be warned the WWII exhibition is closed from July 22 until mid-late August 2019 so worth taking that into consideration. Even so, we really enjoyed the WWI exhibit, very professionally laid out and really beautifully detailed information.
A.
Great place to visit for history of both World Wars - great coffee at cafe too!
P.
If you have any affinity for the aircraft or either of the World Wars then you must visit the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. While I loved both the WW1 and WW2 displays I thought the WW1 was the must see if you only have time to see one. Allow yourself and hour or two for each display if you really want to read all the display boards and take it in. If you want a quick look you can get through much faster. It's a little expensive in my view but the quality of the exhibitions make that ok. Well worth it in my view.
M.
It was gearing up for the air show on at Easter so didn't have specific guided tours but still had a guide walking around answering questions. Very knowledgeable guy. Amazing exhibition with both original aircraft and full size flying reproductions. It has lots of artifacts from the first world war including a part of the Red Barons plane. If you like planes you'll love this place. Also had a small cafe which has delicious cabinet food and the coffee is good.
R.
Really enjoyed the WW1 exhibition, still to visit the WW2 part. Great selection of exhibits, and the museum format adds a little more personal context and drama than most museums. Nice cafe to drop into on the way past too. Also right next to Omaka Aerodrome, with a very friendly flying club and some interesting approaches through the surrounding terrain if you're flying in.
C.
A place everyone must visit world class
Y.
Awesome experience with friends and family. The price is a bit steep but anything by Peter Jackson is worth it. These guys just don't have enough visitors coming through to sustain the exhibitions for a long term. So make sure you go and help preserve history. The Marlborough region is spectacular and very easy on the eyes.
R.
An awesome. Museum. Lived looking at the old planes and displays.
S.
Beautiful exhibits, realistic, well done
D.
Great museum, though be prepared to pay twice. The WW1 and WW2 collections are treated separately - which doesn't make sense to me. However the displays are very professionally executed and the section on Stalingrad is very moving.
Entry is not cheap, but you will be pleased you went! Recommended.
Separately there is a car museum (+$15pp) which we didn't visit due to a lack of time.
B.
Absolutely fantastic display of World War I & II aircraft, equipment and displays. It is very much a go at your own pace experience, with a wide variety of aircraft from various countries of the war. Definitely worth the trip to come and visit.
M.
A little know gem.
Having been to the larger aircraft displays owned by Peter Jackson (which are also excellent) this was a pleasant surprise.
Entry is $10 per person and grants you access to 2 hangars. Unlike Peter Jackson's exhibits there are no frills or dioramas but in return you benefit from being able to walk right up to the planes to look and touch.
This gives you a much greater appreciation for the craftsmanship that has gone in to building and maintaining these planes.
The staff here are all volunteers that have a real passion for the aircraft on display and will happily furnish you with detailed insights on all of the vehicles as you walk round.
B.
The museum tours have great planes and and great war displays to check out. There's even a cinematic experience of the bombing of Stalingrad followed by some astonishing facts of WWII. It's well worth a look. There is a also a café at the centre to enjoy a coffee or snack. Across the other side of the site is a classic car tour that is also not too bad if you're into that sort of thing.
N.
Fabulous displays, very interesting whether you're interested in aviation heritage or not. Great activities to keep kids interested in the holidays. Great coffee as well!
D.
Well worth it. WW1 collection is amazing. Went around it twice. WW2 collection well worth doing at the same time.
A.
Excellent place to go. The planes and models are amazing, well worth it. Allow enough time to read all the descriptions, we ran out of time
s.
Interesting. Some things could be done a little better. Eg- mix it up instead of long walls of small text. The displays were good. The set of the bombing video for Stalingrad was a really good idea to visualize and experience it but the video was repetitive so essentially it could have just been a photo. Overall, good though. A little expensive, esp as you cant come back another day to do both exhibitions.
M.
Absolutely stunning displays! So much work has gone into this museum, it's an absolute gem. Something for everyone!
M.
Very interesting. Well worth the visit to both the WW1 and WW2 displays. Nice cafeteria as well.
T.
Went through both the WW1 & WW2 display, was absolutely amazing, worth going back again to see all the details I would have missed the first time round, this is a world class exhibit. The car museum next door is well worth a look too.
L.
I've been through the WW1 exhibition three times and the WW2 once and they are both superb. Each time I've learned or noticed something new. Absolutely amazing detail, and a world-class operation. It's definitely worth a visit.
S.
Wonderful. Totally enthralled, and we spent three hours there!!!!!! Would recommend for so many reasons, understanding history, gaining perspective of war and effort, and very entertaining if thats the word to use. Highly recommend.
A.
Like stepping into an aviation time capsule. Well worth a look. Will depress you, though when you see how air travel used to be.
J.
Yealands classic fighters 2019 great place to visit
A.
A must see! Another one off the bucket list @
B.
Totally amazing place!!! The best aviation and war museum I've ever been to. The detail and presentation of all the planes is spot on. Definitely coming back with more people next time!!
A.
Great exhibition, well presented and written info, really enjoyed the 8 min show about WWII
A.
Absolutely breathtaking. Have been back to the Aviation museum multiple times and it just keeps getting better. New displays almost every year it seems. Bombing scene is absolutely indescribable and MUST be seen.
K.
Brilliant, great to see these beautiful planes preserved and protected.
h.
Great place to visit, cafe isn't much but the tour is really worth it, one of the tour guides was extremely helpful and pointed out things I would never had seen or known, if you have a spare few hours it's well worth the visit to both options, thoroughly enjoyed by all ages.
R.
Wow. Just wow.
If you're a fan of ww1 or ww2 era air force; this is the place for you.
Accessible displays with lots of in depth research and historical information.
Take it in at your own pace or just admire the level of detail in the memorabilia.
Looking for complete emersion?
Book a flight! A few to choose from!
M.
Marvellous display of 1st and 2nd world war planes and very nice scenes.
D.
Loved the layout, the planes, and all the detailed information. This is an incredibly well done museum, even for anyone without an interest in aviation. I absolutely recommend it to everyone, it certainly tells a story.
H.
young lad called harry was one of the most polite, eager to help and happy chap that has ever served. give that man a raise. if i see him again i'll buy that geezer a pint!
J.
I'm not a fan of WW1 history or aviation. But if you are traveling with anyone who is, it's definitely worth the stop. A very well done museum detailing the planes and pilots of WW1. There is also a WW2 area, which we didn't visit.
N.
Only had time to visit the World War II section today. However it was worth the visit, the exhibition was had an excellent layout and would surpass any other aviation museum in New Zealand. When compared to overseas collections, it maybe lacking in number of planes, but hopefully they will be adding more in the future.
E.
This was amazing! I could spend days here. I especially loved the Hudson display in the ww2 exhibit - 10/10 would definately visit again (:
A.
Really fascinating. Allocate a few hours to view the entire exhibition. We spent over four hours going through the exhibit. Fortunately we didn't have the kids with us but you can be a lot quicker if you just look at the planes and don't read all the information.
N.
For the majority of people both the WW1 & the WW2 displays are a must see. Excellently presented. We spent 5 hrs there!!
L.
Really well set up museum. We did the WWII exhibition, it was incredibly informative. The highlight was the amazing Stalingrad movie - so cleverly done! Very impressed with their focus on female input to aviation in the war. They also have a car museum and WWI exhibition, neither of which we saw. We had been keen for our teenage son to do a flight in a bi-plane, but decided against it as the turbulence would have been a bit crazy today, not making it a particularly pleasurable experience. They also do Russian fighter plane flights, but they were a tad out of our budget.
E.
The WW1 exhibit was amazing. They have a significant number of aircraft, many of which are displayed in life-size dioramas built by Weta Workshop since many of the aircraft are owned by Peter Jackson.
However, the WW2 exhibit was quite disappointing in comparison despite being nearly the same cost. It doesn't have anywhere near as many aircraft (and the aircraft they do have are relatively common in other, free, museums) or the amazing dioramas that make the WW1 portion so interesting.
If you visit, I recommend saving a few bucks and see only the WW1 aircraft and skip the WW2 exhibit until they bring it up to the same standard.
G.
Great 1/2 day out and indoors so not a problem if weather is bad. Great exhibitions, plenty to see and learn. The final bombing in a building simulator is awesome. Cafe is very limited so we arrived and left for another cafe and returned for the exhibition. As a lot of planes are in use a daily or twice daily start up of an engine and taxi would be nice for the kids to see. Hope there is a 3rd exhibition for the early Jet age next !! W
T.
Fantastic exhibits, greatly enjoyed both the WW1 and WW2 displays
I.
What a gem! Amazing museum, even my 5yr old loved it
A.
An amazing experience that everyone needs to see and enjoy. The wee cafe is nice with good coffee and cabinet food.
J.
Well set out. Gorgeous old cars in immaculate condition. Note gold card holders $10. We were charged $15! Allow at least 2 ~3 hours.
S.
Interesting, well presented exhibitions.
M.
I have now been here twice, one with family and once for a scout camp, and loved it both times. They have a wide range of exhibits from historical prefers to recreations and they are setup in a way that you can go through quickly or take your time and neither feel like a waste of time. I would totally recommend to anyone visiting or living in Blenheim.
G.
What an amazing place. Need to allow plenty of time. The guides are dedicated & extremely knowledgeable. Would like to go back sometime
H.
Great place to spend a couple of hours, both the WW1 and WW2 exhibits are worth seeing. Reluctant teenagers expecting a boring museum type visit might be pleasantly surprised with the life sized displays.
D.
Awesome stories and preservation of classic war planes. Great memoriblia and stories to go with.
S.
What an absolute jewel in our tourism crown. A must do when you are in Blenheim. Been twice now. WOW....
P.
Great exhibits excellent guides..
J.
That is a must - do cool loved it ❤👍
M.
Just one word...AWESOME! There aren't many museums where the doors in the wall are there to push the exhibits out to go flying! Spectacular collection that has grown each time I've visited. As Arnie says, "I'll be back!"
S.
I really enjoyed seeing the broad range of stories from both WWI and WE I I and both sides of the coin. They have a great range of planes (many reproduction models, beautifully made) and have done research into the lives of the pilots and tell their stories too, showing a huge variety of artefacts too.
S.
Amazing place. Awesome exhibition of WW1 and WW2 planes and memorabilia. Terrific collection.
R.
Absolutely fantastic WW 11 display, visited WW1 display 5 years ago also fantastic. Best muffins and coffee in Blenheim!!!
V.
So much beautifully preserved. Collection is vast but it is well presented with detailed information and time lines. Very able guides who have a great depth of knowledge. Worth staying extra time and revisiting to absorb the fascinating stories and facts.
D.
Fantastic! Another amazing Peter Jackson contribution.
P.
Fantastic display, very moving. Contains details of the Allies and Axis powers aircraft in both the Great War and WWII. The volunteers are very knowledgeable and it was great to hear their stories.
S.
Amazing place. Stunning displays, heaps to look at and read. Very relaxed walk around. Which you'll need to do twice at least to properly see everything. Easy to find, heaps of parking. Unreal!
r.
Price was very expensive ($18 for senior for WW1 and $18 for WW2!!) so I went to WW2 and my partner to WW1!. Planes in WW2 good, Stalingrad bombing NOT impressive and the constant banging of a door over 10 or so minutes by a staff member showed a lack of respect for paying customers!! Cafe should offer salads and a wider range of cold drinks.
C.
The WWI exhibition is especially stunning. Even if you are not a huge follower of military or aviation history, you will be drawn into the personal narratives that the objects tell. Beautifully presented.
P.
That was so cool! I'm not even into planes or war, but it was fascinating. The thing that brought it all for me were the stories if individuals. Wonderful experience:)
E.
Amazing must visit tourist attraction
C.
Brilliant day spent here.
Clean loos, excellent staff in the cafe, brilliant coffee.
Staff inside where most knowledgable and helpful.
WORTH THE VISIT
R.
This is the best example of history and real to life models and displays. Value for money as you will spend hours reading and looking at these amazing displays. After you can relax and a have a good coffee from the attached cafe.
S.
Amazing and extremely interesting and well displayed exhibits. Allow at least 4 hours to do justice to the exhibits. Very informative with heaps of personal interest stories so do read the articles provided.
M.
Great displays - excellent guides
K.
We went cause it was raining, and although planes don't interest me I was so impressed at displays, objects from 1st world war, and amazing personal stories of tradegy and bravery. We ended up spending 4.5 hrs there. Graeme, one of the guides was brilliant.
H.
Fantastic display of WW1 aircraft & scenes. To scale and smaller. Interesting static displays historical artifacts, uniforms worn and historical information during this time. A must place to visit.
R.
Excellent visual and written info
D.
One word can some up the Omaka Aviation Heritage..... FANTASTIC.
K.
A must see why you are in blenheim. Excellent static displays covering both world wars with realistic video and descriptive information boards. So much to see and 2nd visit recommended. Friendly and helpful volunteer guides. Take a walk outside and yiu are likely to see some rare aircraft flying but completely random.
P.
Really cool experience. Spectacular work by Weta Workshop on the displays.
L.
well worth a visit allow at least two hours to look at both ww1 and ww2 displays
E.
An excellent display of WW1 and WW2 aviation. Great layout, excellent props.
This is a must visit for aviation lovers and others that are in the area.
A beautiful location and a nice place for food and drinks.
M.
Stunningly realistic displays.loved the stories behind the exhibits where they came from their history
P.
Excellent and very different displays WW1 and WW2 aircraft. Terrific cafe at the entrance which seems to be the social hub of the airfield. Highly recommended for a visit.
R.
It takes a while to appreciate what you are looking at. At first you think it's just what is written on the box - a display of WWI planes. Then, you realise you can't really be looking at WWI planes because the placards tell you most of the bits didn't survive the intervening century. Gradually it dawns what you thought was mud isn't mud, what looked to be water isn't water, that amazing looking tree wasn't ever a tree. What you are in fact looking at is one of the greatest model making exhibitions on the planet. The attention to detail is beyond good - some of those planes you are looking at get flown in an annual air show. It pays to enquire about the history of the display after you have seen it - so all the pieces fall into place.
C.
Great examples of WW1 and WW2 aircraft and memorabilia. Outstanding realisim of the exhibits.
H.
Fantastic exhibition of aviation memories
S.
Fantastic! A world class museum. The aircraft are displayed in realistic dioramas created by Peter Jackson's Weta Digital. The guides are friendly and v helpful. A must visit.
P.
The museum was great, however the guides were self entitled and rude. The constant waving of his flashlight was very distracting.
M.
Amazing place , deserves more than 5 stars. Incredible place to spend some quality time. Historically excellent. I would be happy to visit on a regular basis
A.
OWSOME, Well worth the visit, if your into aviation history from WW1 & WW2
M.
I thought this place was amazing, history is not my best subject but I learned lots here and it was presented in such an interesting and informative way.
It really portrayed the horrors of war and made me think deeply about why countries feels a need to oppress and control other countries - it is a very sad aspect of human nature
S.
The WW1 section is superb, though more about aerial photo reconnaissance would have been useful. The WW2 section is very thin, with nothing eg on Bomber Command, in which most NZ airmen served, the role of aircraft in the War in the Atlantic, the defence of Malta (another Sir Keith Park triumph) or on such great advances in military aviation as rocketry, jet flight or on airborne assaults (Crete, Arnhem, D-Day...) The feature on Stalingrad, while well done, is oddly irrelevant to aviation history whereas these other theatres were significant. The Pacific theatre is largely overlooked, despite wending with Atomic bombs. In brief, one part of the museum offers a model of what the other might aspire to.
S.
What an awesome place to visit next time will do the WW2 one glad we took plenty of time
T.
Awesome love the WW2 exhibition
J.
Absolutely brilliant the ww1 exhibit we saw was amazing aircraft and information and displays were set up to show a real sort of scene
R.
Great displays with lots of information, very interesting even if you're not a plane/war buff. The only downside on the day we visited was it was very cold in the exhibit.
H.
Some fascinating information regarding the planes on display, the models done by WETA workshop are so detailed and lifelike. As it's in a hanger, warm clothes in the winter are advised, but it looked like they had coats as you walked in if you needed any.
I.
Outstanding museum great collection of aircraft and memorabilia from both world wars well laid out if like me you are an aviation enthusiast this is a must visit, staff are great nice little cafe as well. Very busy airfield.
R.
Obsolutely awesome.
Amazing the personal items of famous flyers on display.
What an effort by Sir Peter Jackson and his team to assemble such a comprehensive collection of memorabilia.
M.
Awesome place to visit. I went with my 9 and 8 year old daughters, who also loved it. Great displays. Highly recommended.
M.
Truly amazing collection of aircraft and artifacts with incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff
S.
Very touching. I'd recommend going. Lifelike models and done so tastefully
S.
A fantastic collection of WW1 and WW2 aircraft some of which still fly. Lots of memorabilia and everything presented to modern museum standard. A must see when in Marlborough.
R.
Well worth a visit.
Q.
If you have the time to visit this, it's definitely worth your time. Amazing exhibitions with an incredibly large amount of detail. Loved it, and I'm not the biggest fan of museums.
D.
Very interesting insights into the first and second world wars, some unique mementos, even if you're not particularly into aircraft.
If you are, then whoopee !
R.
Didn't get to have a really good look as had to fly around (pun intended). Definately with a visit.
J.
The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is an aviation museum located at the Omaka Air Field, 5 km (3 mi) from the centre of Blenheim, New Zealand. Omaka's first exhibition, “Knights of the Sky”, presents one of the world's largest collections of World War I aircraft and rare memorabilia, including a mix of static displays along with flyable planes. The collection (which is on long term loan to the museum) is managed by the 14-18 Aviation Heritage Trust, which is chaired by film director Sir Peter Jackson. As a result of Jackson’s interest the exhibition which was designed by Joe Blakeley was able to employ the talents of Wellington's finest set builders, painters and props specialists, in particular those of Wingnut Films and enhanced with lifelike mannequins by Weta Workshop. Despite its complexity the exhibition took less than 10 weeks to complete from design to opening. The museum's collection contains a wide variety of military aircraft from the First World War as well as artefacts and personal items belonging to some of the most famous aviators of World War I including some items of Baron Manfred von Richthofen memorabilia.
R.
Well layed out and awesome displays well worth the visit if in blenheim
S.
Stunning exhibits! My partner is a total airplane nut so he loved it! I work building sets in the film industry and I just marveled at the incredible and realistic displays.
I.
Nice museum with large collection of WW1 and WW2 planes and pilot artifacts. Very interesting placards with anecdotal accounts of the world wars. Well worth a visit.
K.
Beautiful museum with a great exhibition of world war one aircrafts. There is also a lot of things to see about the history of the men en woman who keep the operation running. There is also a small exhibition of the world war two.
D.
What a great collection of War memorabilia and fantastic experience
M.
What an amazing place to visit. So interesting. Such attention to detail in the displays.
E.
Well worth a visit. We only did the WW1 exhibition. Spent about 90 minutes there. There’s a great pie place nearby called Burleigh.
S.
Great exhibition of WWI aircraft - fantastic reenactment scenes - up to the usual high Weta Workshop standards. Choice of WWI or WWI exhibitions at $25 per person, with option of combo ticket at $39 - seems a bit high to charge for each exhibit separately.
H.
The WW1 part is Peter Jackson's contribution. Movie people did the many scenes and diaromas. Get one of the docents for a unforgettable experience. More than worth the money
P.
Impressive display of WW Ii memorabilia.Balanced view of the war with focus on air combat.
L.
Mind blowing, we did both WW1 & WW2 the assistants were super knowledgeable and friendly
M.
If you like aircraft history you will love it but if you just like exceedingly well presented stuff its amazing!
T.
Fantastic place, spend hours wandering through and reading all the history. Loved it. And great coffee in the cafe.
R.
Amazing place to visit. Well done to Sir Peter and all the volunteers
L.
Well worth a look.....you won't be disappointed....great coffee and service second to only a few. Rated
m.
I have been through the Heritage center five times with our friends and family from overseas. Each time it has been rated as five out of five . With a big thank you to the guides .
O.
Highly recommend! Mind-blowing exhibitions with amazing detail. Kind staff and great food and coffee :) Thank You!
S.
Fantastic displays, with excellent aircraft. Its all inside so great on a rainy day too
A.
Really informative and interesting. Another Great exhibition supported by Peter Jackson and enthusiasts.
R.
Excellent detail on exhibits. Well worth the visit.
H.
We also did the cars next door... what an incredable day... highly recommended
G.
Very interesting and the guides for both very knowledgeable and informative. Excellent presentation and could have spent full day going through the place. Had a fantastic time.
A.
Amazing aviation museum. Some rare very old aircraft and some very good replicas of iconic flying machines. A must see if you are in the area.
R.
Well worth the visit, worth the price
M.
I come from belgium and I went in lot of museums about WW I and WW II in Belgium, France and Germany... But this museum is absolutely amazing ! I felt like I was into the war...
You must go if you are in the area.
C.
Awesome showcase of aviation history through WW1 to WW2. Alot of the planes are in running condition and come out for Easter air show, which is also a must see.
S.
I really enjoyed visiting here, more than I thought I would. Even my wife enjoyed it and she's not that fussed about avation history. Well laid out and some interesting stories told. Highly recommend.
J.
I guess few non flying Replicas of Aircrafts from WW1, has been build in Czech Republic at Barrandov Studios in Prague for german Movie "The Red Baron-Der rote Baron" directed by Nikolai Muelerschon. Probably after shooting shipped to NZ. Is it correct, please?
Nice Exhibition.
Jindrich Koci
Artdirector from the Movie "The Red Baron".
N.
I really loved it. I'm fan of WWII and airplanes so I eyojed a lot. I did dangerous skies. One think that caught my attention is that explain every country history and heros stories on impartial way
p.
Very well presented 🎁👏👌👍❤
J.
Very enjoyable. Would be better if some of the glassed displays had better lighting though. Also, translations into English as to what the Russian (etc.) propaganda posters are saying would be interesting too.
B.
Recommend don't go passed without visiting here. Great set up and great interest. Brilliant display of exhibits
C.
Fabulous place to visit! The mixture of great aircraft and the use of mannequins to tell a story is fascinating for all the family! A must see place if you're in the area!
F.
Expensive for a museam and a bummer having to pay separately for different exhibitions but the displays are amazing and staff are friendly. Definately worth a visit if you dont mind paying the price.
S.
Amazing place to visit. saw it on a grab one otherwise would be too expensive to see. Make sure you talk to the men and women who are standing around there to help you. Great people. Kids loved their stories!
R.
So informative and such detailed and beautiful displays!
T.
Excellent place to visit if you are into your war history. Well set out and some of the planes still fly. I want to go back for another look
G.
Very friendly staff. Our guides were very helpful. Display of aeroplanes were out of world
S.
Great WWII display. Recommended.
J.
Great exhibition and enthusiastic guides. Nice coffee at the cafe as well. Have just visited a second time, the exhibition is really fantastic and the volunteers are really enthusiastic and helpful too.
M.
Truly historical and well researched display of aircraft and history of aeronautics from the early years. A must see. Most enjoyable..
J.
Extraordinary. I love the aircraft but these displays make this a museum for even those who aren't into aviation. It's a full emersive experience.
S.
Awesome display, so interesting and very informative volunteer guide, Tony King (I think). Well done! Oh and good coffee too!
S.
Good but I didn't see anything about the RNZAF campaign in the Pacific during WW2.
I was hoping to see a Corsair - the plane my dad Wallace Searle flew for RNZAF 23rd Squadron.
W.
Simply outstanding! World class collection, the memobrailia is mind blowing
E.
One of the best World War 1 displays I have seen. In this photo you even see mud and water that look very real. Well done to the creators.
G.
Absolutely fantastic museum. One of the best things we saw during our entire trip.
A.
Super fascinating! Very real. You also get a choice of what WW ( world war)
Interesting!
Expensive but worth it.
J.
Keep coming back here. Displays always change. Great venue and very happy staff.
B.
World standard museum. I take visitors especially elderly people and English visitors who remember those times. Thanks for preserving the past so faithfully. BM
N.
WW2 0utstanding addition to Omaka Museum
R.
Well worth a visit if you are interested in the history of aircraft. WW I collection is amazing.
P.
Great place! Wish we'd had more time. I recon you'd need a day to get round the whole experience.
F.
Fabulous and horrifying so worth while visiting
H.
Well organised museum with superb displays. Good information boards as well as friendly and knowledgeable staff. A must visit.
t.
Fabulous aviation museum. Excellent WW1 and WW2 exhibits. Don't miss this if you are in the Blenheim area.
L.
Amazing museum and very well designed. Loads of information but still very accessible and easy to keep you interested for a couple of hours!
B.
Every aspect of the displays at both areas is spectacular - most especially the Stalingrad video and commentary that follows.
B.
Fabulous, would highly recommend a visit to this aviation museum
A.
Well worth a visit
R.
So much to learn here . Take your time and enjoy a fresh look at WW1 and WW2 aviation history. Very humbling Stalingrad 'show' too.
M.
With Weta setting the plans this is a cracking exhibition. Great service, the guides particularly are very knowledgeable.
The photo opportunities are fantastic.
R.
A great display and thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
P.
WW1 and WW2 plane displays
L.
Brilliant thanks to all the people who make this possible.
M.
Awesome displays
L.
Very interesting displays from WW1 and WW2 - extremely well presented. We were there almost 3 hours! Fascinating stories of heroism from both wars and an 8 minute film experience of the bombing of Stalingrad - quite chilling! Great little cafe too. The only disappointment was the Spitfire was not on display.
V.
Fantastic place - be warned the WWII exhibition is closed from July 22 until mid-late August 2019 so worth taking that into consideration. Even so, we really enjoyed the WWI exhibit, very professionally laid out and really beautifully detailed information.
S.
An excellent exhibition.
A.
Absolutely breathtaking. Have been back to the Aviation museum multiple times and it just keeps getting better. New displays almost every year it seems. Bombing scene is absolutely indescribable and MUST be seen.
B.
A good tourist spot... for Aviation Buffs..
B.
The museum tours have great planes and and great war displays to check out. There's even a cinematic experience of the bombing of Stalingrad followed by some astonishing facts of WWII. It's well worth a look. There is a also a café at the …
s.
Got to know more about ww1&2
J.
Well done ... where did 3 hours go! Very well presented....take a coat.
N.
Wonderful Displays well organised. Highly recommend a visit
D.
I loved the ww1 hanger and displays. Really awsomely done. After the epic ww1 exibit the ww2 just seemed small... still well done but small.
P.
This museum is fabulous. Sadly only saw World War 1 hangar as on a tour but could have spent a day there
S.
Great way to spend couple of hours and learn heaps about the 2 world wars
P.
Truly incredible exhibits. Ended up spending 4 hours touring this outstanding display
A.
Amazing display, this place is worth hours of browsing. Even my wife who isn't into military history liken I am, found it fascinating.
P.
Well worth the time to look! Amazing place
N.
Pretty crazy that these planes were flying just last week. Nice place though a bit expensive for a 30 minute museum
v.
One of the best, if not the best in the world, to view planes and related vehicles of the past world War era, with amazing detail and acuracy to all aspects of the past times where many lives were sometimes unecessarily lost
B.
An absolute must see in Blenheim. World class standard maybe even better than that.
C.
Great place to go if you love WW1 and 2 aviation. Also fun if you don’t and get dragged along.
R.
Wonderful Museum and fabulous food great Ambiance when you love flying. Amazing air show definitely want to see it again
R.
Great place to take the family, very interesting & well laid out museum
G.
Amazing place with so much history. It is right at the top of the list of must do things to do in our region. The staff are great informative however not intrusive.
d.
sGreat place, there's bigger museums ,but this has a narrow focus and they done a great job, very informative as well
J.
Great collection and lots of interesting stories
d.
Fantastic display thoroughly enjoyed it
A.
Thanks to the magic supplied by a cinematic eye and amazing special effects, the tableaux capture moments in time in New Zealand's military history that provide a real sense of immediacy for visitors
J.
.Amazing Gotta go here. Amazing..display Top class..Kinda reluctant to go a a man place but not so...never stopped being amazed & in admiration for the history
s.
Awesome spot a must see