Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre: Explore WWI & WWII Exhibitions

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of WWI and WWII aviation at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. Explore the ‘Knights of the Sky’ exhibition showcasing Sir Peter Jackson’s collection, and discover the thrilling stories of bravery and tragedy in the ‘Dangerous Skies’ exhibition.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre - The museum is open 7 days throughout the year with the exception of Christmas Day. Currently we are open from 10am and closing at 4pm. We recommend that you allow a minimum of 90-minutes to visit both exhibitions.
    In December 2006 the opening exhibition, Knights of the Sky was ground breaking, not just in terms of…
What's Included
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST) included
What's Not Included
  • Transportation to/from attractions
  • Guided commentary unless requested.
  • Food and drink.
Additional Information

The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre showcases two exceptional exhibitions. The first, ‘Knights of the Sky,’ displays film director Sir Peter Jackson’s personal collection of WWI aircraft and artifacts. The narrative of aviation during the Great War is vividly depicted through stunning sets crafted by the renowned WingNut Films and Wētā Workshop.
The…

Location
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
79 Aerodrome Road,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(81 Ratings)
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Melissa
Sep 30, 2025
One not to miss. Omaka is worth the visit. - This place is outstanding. Words don't give it enough credit. We came to Blenheim just for this museum.Make sure to have a good couple of hours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Barry
Sep 11, 2025
Even better second time around! - My son and I visited maybe 5 years ago and revisiting was as exciting and mesmerising as the first visit.All the displays had two informative boards, one telling the story of the time and general background while other outlined the history of the actual aircraft itself.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lynn
Aug 2, 2025
Fascinating and brilliantly curated - Both WW1 and WW2 exhibitions were exceptional. All the stories about the people who had flown during those wars really brought the exhibits alive , together with the incredible scenes the aircraft have been set in. We were there 4.5 hours in total - including time for tea and delicious cakes in the cafe between the two exhibitions.Even though there were no official tours on the day we visited the volunteers in both exhibitions were really friendly and informative. A great day out.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Garthj_j
May 20, 2025
Fantastic place for Aviation buffs - Great place for Aviation history enthusiasts. The WW1 displays are a credit to Weta workshops. The collection of rare planes ws a treat indeed. The WW2 displays were great as well, especially as I have seen most of these flying at some stage. It was fantastic to get up close and personal to some of my favourite aircraft.
Review provided by Viator
Paradise16401295283
May 16, 2025
A very special place full of history and magnificent displays. Make sure to visit! - We visited the Heritage Centre by chance as we were already staying in Renwick and a friend had suggested we might check it out before leaving the area. It turned out to be one of the best exhibitions we saw during our time in NZ and we're so, so glad we visited. It was a beautiful day, so we watched the planes take off and land before heading inside the WWI museum. That was already a spectacle to see! The Peter Jackson dioramas of aircraft and mannequins in the museum were incredible and the volunteer working that day (we believe his name was Chris/Kris) couldn't have been kinder or more generous with his time. A big thank you to him for making our visit extra special. The WWII exhibition was equally enthralling. We thoroughly enjoyed our few hours at the centre and would encourage anyone to visit. A special place whether you're keen on WW history and aviation, or not.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trip25740193729
May 7, 2025
Loved this - Wow! This exceeded our expectations. We are not even particularly interested in aviation and we loved this. The planes and information is incredible. The guides were amazing, friendly, knowledgeable and kind. We particularly loved the WW1 display.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ian_b
Mar 12, 2025
Not like any aircraft museum I’ve seen before 👍 - Great museum. Some aircraft shown in action-Peter Jackson influence I imagine. Great info/photos/displays that does these era defining aircraft proud. Ended up spending 5 hours there - was only meant to be a quick stop en route to our next destination.
Review provided by Viator
Heather_s
Feb 28, 2025
It is life-like. A truly... - It is life-like. A truly great experience. Easy to read summaries on each presentation but the best was the WWII skies experience.
Review provided by Viator
Mark_t
Feb 23, 2025
Good displays - Very good displays with a lot of information on the panels. Really good for aviation/war enthusiasts.
Review provided by Viator
Robert
Feb 19, 2025
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre Blenheim nz - This exhibition is in 2 separate buildings WW1 and WW2 The first hall gives many full size dioramas showing many scenes from WW1 with many of the uniform and stories The second hall is similar but focused on WW2
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $28
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).