Moorabbin Air Museum

The Moorabbin Air Museum, officially known as the Australian National Aviation Museum, is an excellent spot at Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne. It’s like a treasure trove of Australia’s flying history with many civilian and military aircraft, engines, and aviation memorabilia.

If you’re into history or want to show the kids some neat old planes up close, it’s a great place to explore. They’ve got everything from old warbirds to classic passenger planes, and they even do restoration projects right there so you can see how these planes are brought back to life. It’s a fun, educational outing for the family and a must-see if you’re rounding up places to visit around Melbourne.

I recently took the kids to the Moorabbin Air Museum, which was a fantastic choice for a family outing. It was a great way to get them off their devices and dive into the world of aviation.

They learned so much about airplanes and saw some really cool, historic aircraft up close. It was both educational and fun—a perfect day out!

In this post, I’ll provide details on the tickets, timings and other information that I gathered on my trip.

Moorabbin Air Museum

The Moorabbin Air Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing Australia’s aviation history. It features a large collection of aircraft, including military and civilian planes, as well as various aviation memorabilia.

The Moorabbin Air Museum was established in 1962 by the Australian Aircraft Restoration Group, beginning with a focus on preserving a WWII-era Bristol Beaufighter.

The museum has since expanded its collection, facing challenges like weather damage to exposed aircraft. Significant developments in the late 1980s, including constructing a large hangar, helped protect the collection.

Today, it holds over 50 aircraft, making it one of the largest aviation museums in Australia, covering military and civilian aviation history from WWII through to the jet age

Moorabbin Air Museum Tickets

The table below shows ticket prices for the Moorabbin Air Museum.

Tickets can be booked here.

Moorabbin Air Museum Opening Hours

The opening hours of Moorabbin Air Museum are shown below.

This schedule provides a consistent daily opening time with extended weekend hours.

Planes at Moorabbin Air Museum

Visiting the Moorabbin Air Museum was like stepping into a giant hangar of history! Here are some of the cool planes we got to see, each with its own fascinating story:

1. de Havilland Vampire – This jet fighter looks as sleek today as it must have in its prime. It’s one of the first jet fighters ever made!
2. CAC Wirraway – A piece of Aussie history, this trainer and utility aircraft played a crucial role during and after World War II.
3. Douglas DC-3 – A real classic, this airliner made air travel popular and economical. It’s amazing to see such a pivotal piece of aviation history up close.
4. Bristol Boxkite Replica – This one is a replica, but it gives a great idea of early flight endeavours. It’s pretty rudimentary by today’s standards, but it was revolutionary at the time.
5. GAF Jindivik – This unmanned aircraft is used for target practice and was designed and built in Australia.
6. Percival Prentice – It was used for training pilots in the post-war era, and it was kind of the backbone for teaching new pilots the ropes.
7. Bristol Freighter – This large aircraft was used to carry cargo and was known for its ability to lift heavy loads.
8. English Electric Canberra – An iconic British first-generation jet-powered medium bomber, it’s quite impressive in size and history.
9. DHC-4 Caribou – This rugged transport aircraft served many military forces around the world and is known for its short takeoff and landing capability.
10. Auster J/1 Autocrat – A lovely little light aircraft that was popular for personal and business travel post-WWII.

It was such a treat to see these planes and share the experience with the kids, learning about the different roles these aircraft played in history.

Birthday Party At Moorabbin Air Museum

The Moorabbin Air Museum offers a fantastic option for hosting birthday parties and other events. You can book their Casey Hangar or the Bristol Freighter Aircraft for your celebration.

The package includes the use of tables and chairs, and you can even use their BBQ setup. Plus, they offer the option of having a tour guide, which could make the event even more engaging for guests.

For a children’s birthday party, both children and adults are priced at $12 each, and there’s a $50 booking fee. They also cater to club events and offer the venue for photo shoots and filming, with specific pricing for these services.

For more details on booking and terms, you can check their website.

Eating Options

The Moorabbin Air Museum doesn’t have a café on-site, but visitors are welcome to bring their own snacks or lunch to enjoy.

There’s a designated picnic area where you can sit and have your meal surrounded by the unique atmosphere of the museum. This makes it easy to plan a visit without worrying about dining options, especially if you want to customize your experience or have specific dietary needs.

For those looking for more substantial meals, there are several local eateries and cafes near the museum area.

We stopped by the Flight Deck Bar & Grill, which was just perfect for rounding off the day. It’s superbly located right where you can watch planes take off and land—such a thrill for the kids! They absolutely loved it.

Plus, the food was great; the lamb cutlets came highly recommended, and they definitely did not disappoint. It’s a fantastic spot for anyone wanting to extend their day out with some good food and fun views.

Contact Details for Moorabbin Air Museum