Top Blenheim Walking Tours

The collection of WWI & WW2 is astounding to say the least, especially the WW1 aircraft and artifices. Displays are world class and informative. The WW2 displays are equally impressive but don’t yet have the quantity of the WW1 collection. The movie about the Russian loses fighting to win back Stalingrad makes you sit up and think.

The best aviation museum I have been to. It has displays that you cannot see elsewhere made more entertaining by the lifelike diorama settings of sone. If you like historical aircraft Omaka should be on you list to visit.

Really great!! To do absolutely, for amateurs: much better than many others.

This is an excellent exhibition in fact we did both knights of the skies and the WW2 exhibition. Lots of information and the memorablilia and sets in knights of the skies were amazing . Reasonably priced and very nice coffee shop too

I’ve made it a habit to visit aviation museums wherever I travel. I’ve seen some great ones, and a lot more that are pretty pedestrian. Places that are trying hard but just don’t have the resources to get it done. The Omaka museum is one of the best I’ve seen; right up there with the best in the world. The information provided about the exhibits is not an exaggeration; the breadth of the collections and the unique and amazing dioramas are outstanding. Even my friends who aren’t aviation enthusiasts loved it. Do not miss this one!

We drove from Christchurch to Blenheim just to visit Omaka and we were not disappointed. The exhibits are brilliant and it is easy to see how passionate the museum is about their pieces. The design of the displays are first class and it was wonderful talking to the volunteers. Stay a while, see both WWI and WWII.

We travelled to South Island and drove from Christchurch to Blenheim, specifically to visit Omaka. Boy were we excited. The exhibits are incredible. So much thought has been put into each display and plenty of information. See both WWI and WWII exhibits including staying for the short film which is so cleverly made. Great location, excellent for all ages. It also has a lovely cafe so you can stop for a coffee.

The tour we did was just the shed for WWI as we didn't have time for the two sheds. It was a great exhibition the planes were amazing. The mannequins looked so real, they had the displays done so well that you thought it was real. Every detail to make you feel you were there was done, the snow and mud displays were so well done with the footprints in the mud and snow. Everyone was so friendly, the real people!!!.

2nd time to visit for me, and the first time for my partner, who’s not in to “war stuff”, and we ended up spending well over an hour and half wandering around the excellent exhibits.As she said, 'the dioramas are so life like’. The information is concise and interesting; although please clean the screens as it’s hard sometimes to read what’s written under subdued lighting.At $30 per exhibition/per person it’s heading up there cost wise, but in all honesty, worth it.If you can grab a guide to accompany you.

One of the best museum experiences we have ever had. Informative, realistic. Incredible wealth of material and jam packed with human history to bring it all to life.

Awesome museum with beautiful restored aircraft and displays. The scene is movie set worthy and you feel like you are on the ground in the Great War.

The museum features vintage WWI and WWII aircraft as well as many displays of the different "aces" during those conflicts. They just had time to see the WWI side, but wished we could have seen the other as well. The displays were very well done, including the downing of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, who had 80 "kills". They were proud to note that it was an Australian machine gunner that brought him down. The first man to use a parachute was a New Zealander. The Kiwis and Aussies were used as cannon fodder by the Brits as 67% of New Zealander's and 61% of Australians who fought in WWI were killed. They also had a wonderful display of America's ace, Eddie Rickenbacker (26 kills), that the Smithsonian would covet.

I visited the museum during a cruise around New Zealand on Princess cruises with my family, all of whom are keen on aviation. As Blenheim is a small town on the north of the South Island we weren't expecting the visit to be very exciting but we were so wrong. Sir Peter Jackson, the film director, established the museum and all the many, many exhibits using his own money. On display were authentic World War 1 aircraft, artefacts, documents, medals etc. which Sir Peter had acquired over the years. One German visitor was heard to remark that the extent of all the exhibits from Germany was unlike anything that he had ever seen in his home country and which included photos and letters from the famous 'Red Baron'. We were well and truly blown away with the exhibits and could have spent much, much longer there and we will most certainly return without the time restraints imposed by the cruise company. There is a combined coffee and souvenir shop with excellent coffee and snacks and some unique souvenirs for sale.If you are in this part of New Zealand I highly recommend a visit, even if you are not particularly keen on aviation as the background history of the conflict is well explained by the guides and the exhibits are beautifully presented.

We did a double deal where we saw The Heritage Centre and then the other smaller exhibit. At $39 each for the adults, I thought it was good value. We stayed about 2 1/2 hours. It had been at least ten years since we had been here to the aviation centre. How it has changed. Now they offer flights in planes as well. (Maybe they did then, but I wasn't aware of it). The models and displays are amazing and I can appreciate the time and effort gone into making the details correct. Guides around the displays were knowledgeable, passionate about their job, and with a sense of humour. The shop had lots to offer and supported the RSA. The cafe had lovely coffee. We are lucky to be able to visit such a place and be educated.

This exhibition was world class, large collection of planes displayed in dramatic ww1 scenes. Highly recommend

World class exhibition of planes and memorabilia from WW1 and II Amazing collection of real and model planes illustrated with fascinating stories and lifelike mannequins. We spent hours just in the WWI exhibit which houses the collection of Sir Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame. We will come back to see the WW II exhibits and if time the car exhibit as well. It is set in an amazingly beautiful part of the world and we were lucky to see it on a stunning day in December 2022.