Venue Spotlight: MOTAT Aviation Hall

The ultimate backdrop for your event.

Welcome to the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) - New Zealand’s largest museum of its kind, where innovation meets inspiration. Nestled in the cultural landscape of Te Wai Ōrea Western Springs, MOTAT offers not just a world-class visitor experience, but also a truly unforgettable venue for corporate and private events.

A Venue Like No Other

Taiwhanga Rererangi – Aviation Hall, located on MOTAT’s Motions Road site, provides a dramatic and versatile space among one of the most significant aviation collections in the Southern Hemisphere. From elegant cocktail receptions for up to 500 guests to seated gala dinners for 300, the Hall offers a unique atmosphere for memorable experiences.

Surrounded by historic aircraft and award-winning architecture, your guests will be immersed in New Zealand’s rich aviation legacy—perfect for gala evenings, product launches, awards nights, and more.

Heritage Rooted in Innovation

MOTAT has been a cultural and historical landmark since its opening in 1964. The museum was born from the vision of three heritage-focused organisations—the Old Time Transport Preservation League, the Royal Aeronautical Society (NZ Division), and the Historic Auckland Society—who saw Western Springs as the ideal home for preserving the country’s transport legacy.

The museum is located on a site of deep historical significance. The restored 19th-century Beam Engine pumping station, a Category 2 Historic Place, once provided water to Ponsonby and stands as a tribute to Auckland’s industrial heritage. The original Beam Engine remains operational today—thanks to meticulous conservation efforts.

Pumphouse at MOTAT, Western Springs, 1986 - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1052-L03-08.

Aerial view of Western Springs, 1965 - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 580-12770

The pumphouse at Western Springs, 1977 - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 435-07-11

Explore the Evolution of Flight

The Aviation Hall is a multi-award-winning space celebrating over a century of aviation achievements. Highlights include:

  • A Short Solent flying boat from TEAL, New Zealand’s first international airline
  • An Avro Lancaster World War II bomber—one of the few remaining worldwide
  • Early aircraft including relics from Richard Pearse’s pioneering flights and a 1930s de Havilland Fox Moth
  • Military classics like the de Havilland Mosquito, Douglas Dakota, Vampire jet fighter, and former RNZAF A-4 Skyhawk and Aermacchi MB-339CB jet trainers
  • A replica of a Hawker Hurricane marking the legacy of Air Chief Marshal Keith Park

This exceptional collection captures the bold spirit of New Zealand aviation, from 1911 when Vivian Walsh achieved the country’s first sustained flight, to the cutting-edge aircraft of the 20th century.

AVRO Lancaster at MOTAT - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1269G-040.

Flying boats at MOTAT, 1969 - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1528-69043.

Richard Pearse aeroplane, MOTAT, 1980 - Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1528-80027

Let your next event take flight at MOTAT’s Taiwhanga Rererangi – Aviation Hall—where New Zealand’s aviation heritage meets contemporary elegance. Contact us now for a site visit at events@aucklandconventions.co.nz or find out more about the MOTAT Aviation Hall here.