RAF Museum Midlands launches 'The Crate Escape' to unearth hidden treasures
The Royal Air Force Museum has embarked on a monumental mission to relocate over 50,000 historic objects to a new, state-of-the-art Collections Hub in the Midlands.
To support this ambitious undertaking and unlock over a century of incredible RAF stories, the Museum is inviting the public and businesses to join 'The Crate Escape', a new fundraising campaign.
Currently, less than one percent of the Museum's vast national collection is on public display, with the majority of its treasures housed in a sprawling storage facility at MOD Stafford. This extensive collection, described as an "Aladdin’s cave of aviation heritage," encompasses everything from historic aircraft and ejector seats to uniforms, medals, and memorabilia, each holding a unique story from RAF life.
The bold new initiative will see these hidden artifacts moved to a purpose-built Collections Hub at the RAF Museum Midlands, making them accessible to the public for the very first time.
Ewen Cameron, Curator (Stored Collection) at the RAF Museum, highlighted the significant scale of the operation. "The move from Stafford to our Midlands site is no small feat," he stated. "Behind the scenes, our specialist staff and dedicated volunteers are busy preparing to move more than 50,000 objects. This equates to over 31,000 hours of work identifying and cataloguing each individual object, assessing its condition, carrying out essential conservation work, and carefully cleaning and packing the objects, ready for their final journey to the Museum."
This massive logistical effort is a key phase in the broader transformation of the Museum's Midlands site, set for completion in summer 2027. The redevelopment also includes plans for a new permanent exhibition exploring the RAF's role from 1980 through to space and cyber defence, along with a state-of-the-art Learning Centre and expanded green spaces for visitors. The project has received crucial support from funders, including The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Royal Air Force, alongside the RAF Museum's own investment.
Ella Hewitt, Individual Giving Manager at the RAF Museum, emphasized the campaign's deeper purpose. "'The Crate Escape' isn’t just about moving objects, it’s about bringing hidden RAF stories of bravery, innovation, and sacrifice to light," she explained. "By sponsoring a box, supporters are helping to preserve these powerful stories and make them accessible for future generations. With your support, we can deliver history to its new home and bring our vision for a transformed RAF Museum Midlands to life, one box at a time."
The public can support the RAF Museum's mission by visiting rafmuseum.org and choosing from various sponsorship tiers:
Bronze (£30): Be one of four names on a box, receive a digital certificate, and see your name added to The Crate Escape virtual wall.
Silver (£100): Your name will exclusively be added to a box, receive a special thank you and pin badge through the post, and see your name added to The Crate Escape virtual wall.
Gold (from £1000): Large object sponsorships are available. Supporters can choose the object they wish to sponsor, receive personalized recognition on protective coverings, and enjoy the unique opportunity to visit the team in action at MOD Stafford, even getting hands-on to help pack.
Regardless of the sponsorship tier, supporters will receive a unique box number, exclusive behind-the-scenes project updates, and a thrilling reveal of what's inside their sponsored box – be it boots, buttons, logbooks, or even a piece of an aircraft – when it moves to its new home.
The RAF Museum is open daily from 10.00 am, and admission is free. To learn more about the redevelopment project and how to get involved in 'The Crate Escape', visit rafmuseum.org.
