Montrose Air Station Museum

About the museum

RAF Montrose was established in February 1913 and was Britain's first operational military air station. It served the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force, trained pilots through two world wars and closed in 1952. The museum tells the stories of the people who served and worked at the station between 1913 and 1952 and is based in some of the original buildings, including the 1915 headquarters building and the old Mechanised Transport hut that now holds reception and the shop.

The museum is an accredited museum and a Scottish charity staffed entirely by volunteers. Its collection includes a full-size replica of a B.E.2a flown by No. 2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, in 1914, a replica Sopwith Camel, a Panavia Tornado GR4 and a Hawker Hunter, as well as a medal room, a Spitfire room and a diorama of the air station as it was in July 1940. A recreated station commander's office and the bedroom of a woman ferry pilot of the Air Transport Auxiliary show life at the base.

The volunteers also restore aircraft on site, including an Avro Anson and a rare Miles Hawk Major, and run a library and research centre that is open by arrangement. Educational activities are part of the Scottish Aviation and STEM trail.

Highlights

• Full-size replica B.E.2a and Sopwith Camel from the First World War
• Panavia Tornado GR4, SEPECAT Jaguar and Hawker Hunter in Burke's Shed 1b
• Medal room, Spitfire room and 1940 diorama of the air station
• Recreated station commander's office and Air Transport Auxiliary pilot's bedroom
• Aircraft restoration by volunteers, including an Avro Anson

Permanent exhibitions

• Robertson Building: First World War – First World War artefacts with a full-size replica B.E.2a and a Sopwith Camel replica, plus displays on animals at war.
• HQ Building – The 1915 headquarters building with a medal room, a Spitfire room, the station commander's office and a diorama of the air station in 1940.
• Burke's Shed 1b – A hangar from 1913 holding a Panavia Tornado GR4, a SEPECAT Jaguar and a Hawker Hunter.

Founded

1983

Operated by

Montrose Air Station Museum (Scottish charity)

Admission & discounts

Gift Aid admission is £11.00 for adults and £8.80 for concessions, with standard prices of £10.00 and £8.00. Standard admission is the usual price and Gift Aid is optional.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

All museum buildings are single-storey and accessible by wheelchair, with ramps where a building is slightly raised and a smooth surface to every exhibit building. The original wooden RAF buildings have narrow doorways and corridors but can still be used by wheelchairs. There is a disabled parking space outside reception and a disabled toilet at reception. Guide dogs and visitors' dogs are welcome on a lead, and water is available.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

Children under 16 enter free and are especially welcome, but need close supervision. The museum runs a STEM project, has a Learning Zone for school visits and is part of the Scottish Aviation and STEM trail.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on Waldron Road, Broomfield, Montrose.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

There is no cafe; hot and cold drinks and snacks are available from vending machines, and picnic tables can be used. The shop in the reception hut sells Airfix and Corgi models, books, gifts and memorabilia.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit