RAF Museum Putting Thousands of Historical Pieces on Display for First Time

Staff and volunteers are preparing to move the artifacts to the gallery’s Midlands location.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, July 03, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

The RAF Museum's stored collection at MOD Stafford. [Courtesy: RAF Museum]

Key Takeaways:

The Royal Air Force Museum is undertaking a project dubbed "The Crate Escape" to relocate over 50,000 historical pieces from secure storage in Stafford to a new collections hub at its Midlands location in Cosford.
This significant move will allow many previously unseen artifacts, including aircraft, uniforms, and memorabilia, to be displayed publicly for the first time, bringing hidden RAF stories to light.
The project, involving over 31,000 hours of work, is part of a larger expansion at the Midlands site, scheduled for completion in 2027, which will include new exhibitions and a learning center.
The museum is seeking public support through donations to help fund the extensive cataloging, cleaning, and packing efforts required for the relocation.

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The Royal Air Force Museum is working to move over 50,000 historical pieces to its location in the English Midlands, where many of them will be displayed publicly for the first time.

Less than 1 percent of the museum’s vast collection is currently on display, with the rest kept tucked away at a secure but largely inaccessible Ministry of Defense site in Stafford. This remainder, described by museum officials as an “Aladdin’s cave” of treasures, includes aircraft, parts, ejector seats, military uniforms, medals, logbooks, and other memorabilia connected to one of the most storied air forces in history.