Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Shropshire
Admission is free to the museum in the West Midlands, which houses 70 aircraft and is home to War Planes, Missiles, Transport & Training and Research & Development collections. The National Cold War Exhibition with its interactive kiosks and hotspots gives visitors a chance to see what life was like behind the Iron Curtain.
Please note: From 3rd November 2008 there will be a road closure approaching the Museum due to bridge repairs. The Museum will be open as normal, please follow the diversion signs.
Latest News: 22 November 2008
Conservation Centre To Open 24th -28th November
10.15am to 1.00pm
FREE
One of Shropshire’s hidden gems, the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre (MBCC) at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be opening its doors to visitors for one special week, from Monday 24th to Friday 28th November 2008.
To enable greater public understanding of the Centre’s work, visitors to the Museum will gain exclusive behind-the-scenes access to aircraft conservation work and have a rare opportunity to view current projects.
The MBCC, opened in May 2002 by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham, is one of the world’s centres of excellence in aircraft conservation. The skilled technicians undertake careful, extensive work to prepare aircraft and other projects for display at both the Cosford site and at the RAF Museum London. The MBCC team is responsible for the conservation and routine maintenance of some 300 aircraft.
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Fancy working on one of our aircraft in your spare time? Then become a Friend.
We're Simply The Best - Again
The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford was awarded this week with the “Access for All Award” at the Tourism West Midlands Excellence Awards 2008 in recognition of its pioneering work in extending access to its multi-award winning Museum and National Cold War Exhibition.
The Museum and exhibition were praised for their easy access for wheelchairs and the free loan of mobility scooters and tactical diagrams. The Museum was also commended on their prompt response to customer enquiries and the helpfulness of its staff.
Alex Medhurst, General Manager says; “We are very pleased that the RAF Museum has been recognised for its achievements and the hard work of dedicated staff by being awarded with this very prestigious Gold Award for access for all”.
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Learn more about our award winning National Cold War Exhibition
High Flying Gifts For A Cracking Christmas
If you’re searching for that illusive gift which will make their spirits soar once they have ripped open the wrapping paper on Christmas Day morning, why not visit the Royal Air Force Museum’s online shop – www.rafmuseumshop.com?
Here you will find a range of affordable, yet charming, gifts suitable for any member of the family at a price that won’t send your Christmas Budget into a tailspin. Best of all, by purchasing any of the items located on the Museum’s website you will be helping the Museum maintain its unique collection of aircraft, medals, films and documents – preserving a vital part of our nation’s heritage for future generations.
So this Christmas why not give your personal high-flyer a gift that will make their spirits soar and help preserve at the same time a Great British Institution?
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Visit the Museum's Online Shop
Supporting Our Service Personnel At Christmas
Public support means a great deal to those who are serving, and particularly to those on operations. Support from home is an essential part of the morale of our Armed Forces deployed overseas amid the stresses and strains of the operational environment but well intentioned parcels sent by the public can delay those sent by families and friends.
There are many ways in which members of the Public can support our Servicemen and women. The link below highlights some of the best ways to provide support, whether for troops deployed on operations, for personnel who have been wounded or for ex-service personnel.
Learn how to support our Service Personnel in the run up to Christmas
November's Podcast - Lest We Forget
As Remembrance Sunday falls in November, we thought it appropriate that this month's podcast should highlight the Museum's latest exhibition - "Lest We Forget".
In it we describe the exhibition and the importance that of the Act of Remembrance is held in by members of the public and Service Personnel. The podcast also includes an interview with Henry Allingham, who at 112 years old is the oldest man in Britain, a Veteran of World War I, a member of the Royal Flying Corps and one of the founder members of the Royal Air Force in 1918.
In addition to this, we have also produced an additional podcast for our younger listeners, explaining to them why we wear poppies each year and why we have a two minute silence.
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Listen to "Lest We Forget" podcast
November's Navigator Highlights - Christmas Cards And Sport
This month Navigator, the Museum's online collection, offers two new sets of highlights; the subjects of which are Christmas Cards and Sport.
Christmas Cards
In the run up to the Festive Season what could be more appropriate than an online exhibition of Christmas Cards? Dating from 1912 to the present day, this selection ranges from mass-produced official unit cards to individual handmade cards exchanged by Prisoners of War during their captivity.
Sport
Team sports have long been played in the RAF as a great way of assisting fitness and teamwork, both of which are vital for successful operations. Sports days with classic games such as tug-of-war being played and team photographs are shown here in this highlight.
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Visit Navigator Online Collection
Top Lots Winners Enjoy V I P Visit To Museum
As part of May’s Museums and Galleries Month the Royal Air Force Museum teamed up with online auction house Top Lots to offer an exclusive experience behind the scenes at the Museum’s Cosford site.
This exclusive day allowed the successful bidder to witness the ground-breaking conservation and preservation work undertaken by the staff of the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre.
Pictured during the visit are Malcolm & Dawn Rees and Roger Bridges with MBCC staff Darren Priday, John Warburton and MBCC Manager Tim Wallis.
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Learn more about the work of the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre
Museum Named One Of Britain's Top 100 All Weather Attractions.
The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford has been listed in Britain's Top 100 Attractions, All Weather, All Year, which has been published by Ian Allan, in direct response to one of the most disappointing summers on record in terms of weather.
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Plan your visit, find out what there is to see and do
Become A Fan Of The Museum With Facebook
In return we promise to keep our page updated on a regular basis so that you are made aware of future events once they have been confirmed and to place regularly on the page exclusive images and videos of the people and events that bring the Museum to life. To reward your loyalty we will hold regular competitions and run special offers which only members of our Facebook Fan Club will be able to take advantage of.
All that you need to do is to login to your Facebook account, search for us under Royal Air Force Museum and start interacting.
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Visit our Facebook Fan Page.
Refurbishment Has School Groups Flying In!
A major refurbishment to enhance the museum’s ‘flying experience’ for schools is currently underway in the Let’s Fly classroom at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford.
Due to be ‘re-launched’ in January 2009, the classroom is being transformed into a mini airport enabling children to participate in the entire holiday flight experience from checking-in through to passport control and actually boarding an aeroplane.
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Learn more about our other exciting activities for school groups.
R A F Museum Awarded 10/10 For Value
The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford and its award winning National Cold War Exhibition received a 10 out of 10 rating in Central TV’s News ‘Best Value Kids Attraction' as seen by viewers on 12th August.
The Museum was particularly praised for being “dynamic”. ITV Central presenter Llewela Bailey and her son Harry were “bowled over” by the National Cold War Exhibition, which is “brilliantly put together” so much so that after spending just a few hours at the Museum they felt visitors needed more than a single day at the Museum as there was so much to take in.
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Take a Virtual Tour of the National Cold War Exhibition
Two New Awards Fly In For Aviation Museum
The Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford is proud to be awarded two new accolades after already being crowned ‘Best of the West’ at the Renaissance West Midlands Awards earlier in April.
Staff and volunteers at RAF Museum Cosford are celebrating after Servicemark, the National Standard for Customer Service, granted the Museum a Silver Award.
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The exhibitions at Cosford contain only a fraction of the overall holdings of the RAF Museum. In London, at Hendon, the Royal Air Force Museum London displays an equally large and important part of our collection.
