Air New Zealand unveils Te Papa exhibition celebrating 75 years of flying

18 December 2014

Air New Zealand will kick off its 75th anniversary celebrations with the launch of a special exhibition at the country’s national museum Te Papa in Wellington tonight.

The airline, which celebrates 75 years of operations next year, has worked with Te Papa to create a free retrospective exhibition Air New Zealand 75 Years: Our nation. The world. Connected that opens to the public on Saturday and runs through until June 2015.

The display showcases everything from crew uniforms to inflight entertainment and takes visitors on a journey through the decades of Air New Zealand’s history – from the early days of flying boats right through to the wide-bodied Boeing jets of today, with a small glimpse into the future too.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon says the exhibition brings to life an important time in New Zealand’s history – told through the lens of the national carrier.

“From food, to fashion, technology or marketing material, an airline is a fantastic reflection on society.

“An enormous amount of work has gone into this exhibition – selecting from decades of fascinating memorabilia and displaying it in a way that will appeal to all ages. It’s fantastic to now be able to celebrate this journey shared and to reflect on how far we’ve come.”

Te Papa’s Chief Executive Rick Ellis says the exhibition helps the national museum fulfil its mandate to tell New Zealand’s stories.

“The story of Air New Zealand is about so much more than just flying. The exhibition is a unique angle on a wider Kiwi story about fashion and design, tourism and national identity, and engineering and innovation. As a nation of travellers this is an exhibition most New Zealanders will be able to relate to in a very personal way.”

HP has a long-standing relationship with both Air New Zealand and Te Papa, and has provided technology support, helping to bring the exhibition to life through video, interactive screens and leading edge computing technology.