Media release
1 March 2017

Air New Zealand’s 75th exhibition extends its southern stay

Air New Zealand is extending the blockbuster run of its 75th anniversary exhibition until the end of April 2017 as it continues to draw record visitor numbers to Canterbury Museum.

Canterbury Museum has had record visitor numbers for the six months since the exhibition opened in September 2016, with the recent addition of an Air New Zealand Boeing 737 cockpit nose drawing further interest.

Already 9,500 visitors have stepped inside the flight deck of the retired aircraft, which opened to the public in the Botanic Gardens just before Waitangi weekend.

Air New Zealand 75 Years: Our Nation. The World. Connecteddebuted at Te Papa in 2014 and travelled to Auckland War Memorial Museum before moving to Canterbury Museum last spring. More than 960,000 people have visited the free exhibition across the three cities, with 300,000 exploring its interactive displays at Canterbury Museum alone.

Along with the 737 nose, the unique exhibits include a virtual reality aircraft cabin, a replica Solent flying boat and memorabilia from the nation’s aviation pioneers, such as Christchurch tourism pioneer Rodolph Wigley who founded the Mount Cook Group.

Air New Zealand General Manager Global Brand & Content Marketing Jodi Williams says the airline is thrilled its anniversary exhibition continues to captivate audiences nationwide.

“The exhibition not only pays tribute to how the airline has grown and evolved with the nation over the years, but also gives visitors a taste of the future of flying in our virtual reality cabin.

“Christchurch is the key gateway to the South Island, so we’re delighted to give those travelling over the Easter holidays the chance to add a behind the scenes tour of the airline to their itinerary.”

Canterbury Museum Director Anthony Wright says the exhibition has been a hit with all ages and the museum is excited to have its southern tour extended.

“Bringing to life the stories of our aviation pioneers, the glamour of the Coral Route and offering a glimpse into the future of travel, the exhibition has something for everyone. We’re so pleased it will now stay until the end of April to give more visitors the chance to explore.”

Air New Zealand 75 Years: Our Nation. The World. Connected will run at the Canterbury Museum until Sunday 30 April 2017, with the 737 cockpit nose on display until Monday 17 April 2017.

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