The Royal Air Force Museum is delighted to announce it has been awarded investment from The National Lottery Heritage Lottery Fund for its Inspiring Everyone: RAF Museum Midlands Development Programme.

This ambitious project will deliver a major regional engagement programme, alongside a site transformation. An immersive exhibition will explore today’s RAF, a new Learning Centre will provide bespoke facilities, and a purpose-built Collections Hub will enable the Museum’s stored collection to be shared with the public for the first time. The complementary development of a woodland landscape and new public realm will encourage outdoor learning, discovery, and contemplation.

The transformation will be underpinned by, and feed into, activities that welcome more of our communities to use the RAF Museum and RAF Story as a resource, enabling us to play a more impactful role across the Midlands. The project has been designed with inclusion at its heart, with a multi-strand engagement programme that has opportunities for co-creation throughout, helping us engage with a wider range of visitors and ensure our offer is relevant for everyone.

The project will also support the Museum to achieve its commitment to Carbon Net Zero by 2030. Throughout the programme, we will learn alongside the RAF, working with their environmental think tank to invest in sustainable technologies and operations.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s investment is a significant contribution towards the Museum’s fundraising campaign for the project, and will enable the Museum to progress plans, working with local communities to develop partnerships, programming and designs for the new spaces and exhibitions.

To deliver our vision of ‘Inspiring everyone with the RAF Story’, the Museum’s bold plans include delivery of a new innovative nationally relevant exhibition focusing on the critical role of the RAF over the past 40 years. Engaging and interactive displays will invite visitors to discover more about the RAF’s mission today and how the service will need to adapt in the future. Artefacts ranging from aircraft to films will be selected with community partners and multisensory display interpretation will be developed through co-design. By engaging audiences with wide ranging interests and backgrounds in the development process, the Museum will deliver storytelling that better reflects the diverse communities across the region.

A purpose-built Collections Hub will enable the Museum to conserve and care for more than 65,000 objects, currently held in storage offsite. The Collections Hub will provide an opportunity to share the stored collections with visitors for the first time, supporting a broad programme of engagement and skills-sharing with activities including conservation, research, digitisation, and collections-inspired creative sessions. One of the first uses of the Hub will be as a venue for volunteering, preparing objects for the new exhibition.

Working closely with young people and partners, the Museum will design a new Learning Centre with bespoke facilities dedicated to the development and delivery of lifelong learning programmes, with an increased capacity to engage with a wider audience than ever before. The new learning spaces will enable exploration, discovery and debate, and ignite visitors’ curiosity, both in STEM subjects as well as art, history and design. Learning programmes will support the development of new and existing skills while improving the wellbeing of participants through targeted activities onsite in the new centre, outreach activities and online.

The visitor experience will be enhanced with a new woodland area and public realm, to encourage outdoor learning, discovery, and contemplation. The new greener landscape will provide an opportunity for carbon capture, increasing biodiversity and creating spaces where visitors, staff and volunteers can improve their physical and mental health while supporting the Museum’s Carbon Net Zero target of 2030.

RAF Museum CEO, Maggie Appleton said:
‘I’d like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund on behalf of all our staff, volunteers and Trustees for the generous support they have given us – we could not be happier! We’re one step closer to our ambitious plans becoming a reality, made possible thanks to National Lottery players. Over the coming months we will continue to work closely with our local communities to develop the project, ensuring we deliver spaces that will make a vital and positive change to people’s lives across the Midlands and beyond.’

The project will be supported by a number of funders including The National Lottery Heritage Fund, as well as the RAF Museum’s own investment. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has generously supported the RAF Museum’s application for £5m at first round towards its £22.1m RAF Museum Midlands Development Programme. The Museum will now enter into a development phase, before building work commences in early 2025, and is expected to be complete by summer 2027.

To find out more about the redevelopment project and how you can get involved, visit www.rafmuseum.org/midlands. The Museum is open daily from 10am and admission is free.

Date: Sunday 13 November
Time: 10.30am arrival / 10.45am service commences
Cost: FREE

The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands will hold a Service of Remembrance on Sunday 13 November, paying respect to those service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during their tours of duty.

Visitors who wish to reflect and pay their respects are invited to join the service, led by RAF Cosford Station Chaplain Rev (Sqn Ldr) John Mbayo. The Service will be supported by RAF Cosford personnel and include readings, with a bugler sounding ‘The Last Post’, followed by two minutes of silence.

Those attending will also enjoy hymns on arrival and throughout the service courtesy of the Cosford Military Wives Choir. During the service, a selection of poems written by local children will be read aloud, with many more poems displayed on a remembrance wall for guests to read and reflect. Wreaths will be laid at the end of the service, in honour of those who have fallen in the line of duty.

The Remembrance Service will take place in the Museum’s Hangar 1 against a backdrop of aircraft, and free tickets for up to 300 guests are available to book in advance at rafmuseum.org/midlands. Visitors are politely requested to assemble no later than 10.30am ready for the Service to commence at 10.45am. Visitors are also encouraged to take time to explore the Museum at their own leisure after the service.

In the build up to Remembrance Sunday, visitors to the Museum are invited to contribute a personal act of remembrance by writing a message that will feature in a display at the Museum over the remembrance period.

The Museum is open daily from 10.00am and admission is free. Discover more about the Museum and pre-book your arrival time online at www.rafmuseum.org.

The RAF Museum Midlands is delighted to announce it has officially achieved the highest accreditation awarded by the VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Assessment Scheme: the Gold Award.

The honours are designed to celebrate excellence within the visitor attraction sector and are available to members of the Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme who represent a wide range of tourism experiences in England.

The RAF Museum is proud to be one of only 30 visitor experiences to receive the highest honour in the 2021-2022 awards, where a total of 97 businesses across the country were recognised for going the extra mile to provide a high-quality day out. Accolades are given for five categories: Welcome, Best Told Story, Quality Food & Drink, Hidden Gem, and Gold for the overall winners.

To achieve the new Gold status, the RAF Museum scored consistently high levels of visitor experience across a wide range of areas, including welcome, catering and orientation, following the annual VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme assessment.

Alan Edwards, RAF Museum Midlands Operations Manager said:
‘We are thrilled to have been presented with the prestigious Gold Award in the VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Accolade 2021-22. It’s hugely gratifying to have this endorsement and recognition of the efforts we make to provide a first-class day out for our visitors. This award will spur us on to continue making improvements to the overall Museum experience, ensuring that we remain a top attraction for many years to come. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 50th anniversary than with a Gold Award!’

Discover more about the amazing things to see and do at the award-winning Museum at www.rafmuseum.org. The Museum is open daily from 10.00am and admission is free.

The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands has marked its 50th anniversary milestone by preserving mementos in a time capsule, so future visitors can peek into the past.

The time capsule containing memorabilia, messages, and notable objects giving a snapshot of the Museum today, have been buried in the Museum grounds alongside a learning space used by schools. The capsule now lies in wait for its reopening when its contents are unlocked on the Museum’s 100th anniversary in 2072.

The capsule has been built by Museum Apprentices, and contains items from the time of its burial, including a souvenir guide, Museum teddy bear and newspapers. Messages from staff and volunteers adorned on an RAF flag, together with video messages, have also made it into the capsule. With a nod to the Museums 50 year history, items including badges and booklets dating back five decades have been buried, along with concept art and development plans, so those opening the capsule in 50 years’ time can reflect on the Museum’s ambitions in 2022. RAF Cosford also gifted a Station Commanders Challenge Medal for inclusion in the capsule.

Joining RAF Museum CEO Maggie Appleton, staff, apprentices, and volunteers for the burial event, were students from Burghill Community Academy and Leasowes High School, winners of the Museum’s 50th anniversary art and design competitions. The student’s birthday card design and 3D model of the Museum will be preserved in the capsule, along with a 50th anniversary patchwork created by members of High Flyers adult SEN day centre.

Dierdre Cuss, RAF Museum Access & Learning Assistant said:
‘This is all about the future of the Museum, for the staff, volunteers and the young people who visit us in 2072. When deciding what items to include, we worked with local schools and asked colleagues what they thought would be important to pass on to the next generation, giving a snapshot of the Museum at the time we marked our 50th anniversary. I can’t help but wonder how we’ll feel about these items in the future, and what will go into the next time capsule once these re-emerge. This was a great way of marking the occasion and capturing a moment in time that will spark discovery and debate in the future.’

A plaque will mark the spot where the capsule has been buried.

The Museum is open daily from 10.00am, for more information or to pre-book your arrival time online, visit www.rafmuseum.org.

In celebration of the Commonwealth Games launching in Birmingham, the Royal Air Force Museum is adding two new sporty objects to the Adopt an Artefact initiative.

The new objects representing sport within the RAF have been specially selected from the Museum’s collection of more than 1.3 million items and join over 60 artefacts in the adoptable collection.

Sported by the apprentices at RAF Cranwell in the 1920s, the Cranwell Boys’ Wing Sports Cap is first of two new sports artefacts available for adoption. Royal Air Force apprentices aged 15-16 would undertake three years of technical training, passing out as highly qualified mechanics. Sports were a feature of an apprentice’s life, with regular afternoon sessions being devoted to games. The cap can be viewed on display at the Museum’s London site and is the perfect adoption for any Cranwell attendees or all-round sports fans.

Formed from three arms bearing gymnastic exercise clubs is the Physical Training Instructor Badge, the second new addition to the Museum’s adoptable collection. The Royal Air Force School of Physical Training was formed on the same day as the Royal Air Force, 1 April 1918. It is responsible for preparing instructors to lead physical training education and activities. This object, circa 1923-1949 recognises the important role sport and fitness has played within the RAF and is an ideal adoption for any trainer, as well as those with a close connection to RAF Cosford. Look out for this artefact on display next time you visit the Museum’s Midlands site.

‘Adopt an Artefact’ highlights a selection of iconic and unusual objects from the Museum collection which span more than a century of aviation and RAF history. People can browse the items and adopt online at www.rafmuseum.org.

Ella Hewitt, RAF Museum Individual Giving Manager said:
‘With the Commonwealth Games inspiring the next generation of athletes, it’s a great opportunity for the Museum to look back at the RAF’s sporting history and reflect on the role sport has played for service personnel. Adopting an artefact such as the Cranwell Boys’ Wing Sports Cap or the Physical Training Instructor Badge, helps raise funds for the Museum, enabling us to continue sharing the RAF story. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to buy an unusual gift for a budding athlete or sports lover, and to receive something unique in return for your support.’

Starting at £25.00, adoptions last 12 months from the date they are adopted. Every adoption includes a digital adoption certificate and photo, online recognition with a personalised message, and exclusive updates throughout the year.

Adoptees can view their artefacts during a visit to the Museum. The Museum is open daily from 10.00am and admission is free, simply pre-book your arrival time online at www.rafmuseum.org.

Date: 2-3 July 2022
Time: Gates open 8.30am, flying 9.30am-5.00pm
Cost: £15.00 (under 16s are free)
BBMF Lancaster Flypast: Sat 2.14pm / Sun 1.58pm (weather permitting)

Scale models of iconic aircraft will be taking to the sky at the Large Model Air Show, when the two-day family event returns to the RAF Museum Midlands on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 July.

The show will be packed with over seven hours of spectacular flying displays from hundreds of miniature models, accompanied by interactive experiences on the ground keeping families, aviation fans, and modelling enthusiasts entertained.

Taking place on the airfield at RAF Cosford, see biplanes through to modern day jets, all designed, built and flown by experienced model aircraft pilots. With acrobatic displays, synchronised flypasts and smoke affects, they truly look like the real thing!

There will be more flying than ever before with three flightlines for the first time. The line-up includes a mass flying formation of Spitfire’s, and an impressive collection of First World War aircraft taking to the skies. Plus, an appearance from the largest model aircraft in the country, including the Constellation, Bristol Bulldog, Comet DH88, and the Vulcan. This 20ft Vulcan model will retire after more than 10 years appearing at the show, and its farewell flight will be an exciting recreation of the real Vulcan XH558’s last flight, flying in formation with two Red Arrow Hawks on its wingtips.

A flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster is an event highlight guaranteed to wow crowds both days, flying in at 2.14pm on Saturday and 1.58pm on Sunday.

The event is growing both in the air and on the ground with more than 50 traders, including a ‘bring, buy and swap’ shop, street food vendors, entertainment and activities on offer.

There will be plenty of opportunities for visitors to get behind the controls and fly some of the training model aircraft, with guidance from top pilots. Or, have a go at the exciting drone flying experience where users will learn the basics of drone flying before attempting to guide one through hoops, under tunnels, and over barriers. Those who master the controls quickly can take on the challenge of completing an obstacle course. This drop-in activity is suitable for children aged 8 or above. The youngest visitors will also have plenty of high-flying fun with trampolines and Airfix model making activities running throughout the day (charges apply).

The catering line-up is just as impressive as the flying with street food vendors serving up a diverse menu with flavours from around the world.

Tickets for the event are available to purchase online, £15.00 adults and under 16s are free. Exclusively for this event camping is available on the airfield at RAF Cosford, from £50.00 including show entry. For more information and to purchase tickets to the Large Model Air Show visit www.rafmuseum.org/midlands. The event is organised in partnership with the Large Model Association.

A Spitfire from the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands is heading to Birmingham in July, as five new dates are added to the Spitfire’s tour of the Midlands.

In celebration of the Museum’s 50th anniversary, the Spitfire will visit regional towns and cities highlighting the area’s rich RAF heritage. Museum bosses are thrilled to announce that Birmingham, ‘home of the Spitfire’, will be hosting five days! ‘Brummies’ can get up close to the iconic aircraft when it goes on display outside Birmingham New Street Station from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 July.

Before heading to Birmingham, the rare blue reconnaissance Spitfire PR. XIX will visit Coventry on 18-19 June and Shrewsbury on 25-26 June. Following five days of engagement with families, shoppers and commuters in Birmingham early July, the aircraft will finish the tour in Leicester on 16-17 July.

The Spitfire received a warm welcome from the people of Telford on the first tour date in May, and following an appearance at the Cosford Air Show this weekend, the aircraft will be back on the road once again. Visit the Spitfire at a location near you and try on some of the real RAF uniforms, flying jackets and hats. Alongside the real Spitfire is a replica cockpit section to climb inside for an authentic Spitfire experience, perfect for a Spitfire selfie!

Birmingham’s manufacturing brilliance produced more Spitfires than anywhere else in the UK, making it a fitting venue for the tour. During the Second World War the people of Birmingham also contributed to the war efforts through Fighter Funds. These funds were set up to encourage the public to donate money to buy aircraft and brought communities and Allied countries together. The aircraft bought were named after that individual town, country or business. £5,000, approximately £175,000 today, bought one aircraft.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham’s Spitfire Fund collected £23,500, enough to buy four Spitfires, all made at Castle Bromwich. The Vickers-Armstrong aircraft factory at Castle Bromwich was one of the largest producers of aircraft during the Second World War. It produced 11,939 Spitfires and 305 Avro Lancasters. The factory closed in December 1945 and the Castle Vale housing estate was built on the site.
Look out for the Spitfire ‘flying’ into a town or city near you on the following dates:

• Coventry on 18–19 June, Millennium Place (Coventry Food Festival)
• Shrewsbury on 25–26 June, Quarry Park (Shrewsbury Food Festival)
• Birmingham on 6–10 July, New Street Station
• Leicester on 16–17 July, Jubilee Square

Visit the Spitfire on tour this summer and pick up your free Spitfire virtual reality experience voucher code, redeemable on your next visit to the RAF Museum Midlands (Terms and Conditions apply). Entry to the Museum is free, for details of the exciting aircraft displays, experiences and events visitors can enjoy at the Museum and to pre-book your arrival time visit www.rafmuseum.org/midlands.