Welcome to the Royal Air Force Museum Laarbruch - Weeze e.V.
Museum for Peace and Friendship
up-to-date information
The RAF Laarbruch Museum in the German Television
Here you can see a contribution from “WDR Lokalzeit Duisburg” from June the 19th, 2024:
Royal Air Force Museum Laarbruch – YouTube
Dear visitors to the RAF Laarbruch Museum,
we are pleased to be able to offer you a new attraction.
You can virtually tour all rooms in the attached link. Take a walk, look around and enjoy what the museum has to offer.
Have fun!
https://visit.museum-virtuell.com/de/tour/raf-museum
Opening hours
Friday, Saturday and Sunday 14:00 to 17:00 hrs
The entrance fee is € 3,– for adults, and children up to 14 years of age are free of charge.
Groups are welcome at any time, but are requested to make an appointment for a conducted tour (€ 5,–)
contact: Heinz Willi Knechten +49 178 1356324 – info@laarbruch-museum.net
Donations are welcome:
Lloyds Bank Canterbury
UK account
Royal Air Force Museum Laarbruch-Weeze e.V.
Lloyds TSB 30-64-57
Account 36287368
IBAN: GB20LOYD30645736287368
BIC: LOYDGB2L
Sparkasse Rhein-Maas
Royal Air Force Museum Laarbruch-Weeze e.V.
BLZ: 324 500 00
Konto Nr.: 700412729
IBAN: DE10 3245 0000 0700 4127 29
BIC: WELADED1KLE
RAF Museum Laarbruch-Weeze e.V.
RAF Museum Laarbruch-Weeze Association
Germany’s first and only museum on the history of the Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG), invites you on a trip down memory lane to explore the 45 years history of the RAF Laarbruch and of course, not forgetting the Royal Air Force’s presence in Germany.
The museum houses numerous exhibits varying from aircraft that actually served at RAF Laarbruch. Two cockpits, anti-aircraft weapons, ejection seats, dioramas illustrating the different aircraft, that served at RAF Laarbruch, also uniforms and other memorabilia. Numerous publications/ documents show the presence of the British Military from 1945 to 1999, especially in the Lower Rhine region, and thus bringing an important chapter of local and post-war history to life and making it tangible.
The visitor can understand how, in more than four decades, occupiers and occupied became friends and allies. Both during the Cold War period and immediately thereafter, the Royal Air Force was a guarantor of security and peace, freedom and friendship.
The museum opened up to the general public in 2007, and is located in three diverse buildings , firstly the main building being the former Anglican church (St. Peter’s), this contains the history of Laarbruch, and also includes several cockpits ( Buccaneer, Canberra). Secondly the former Savings bank which is located next to the main (St Peter’s) building, this is dedicated to the RAF regiment. And then finally the ASTRA cinema , this building not only contains a Hawker Hunter T7, but other diverse memorabilia and material. It also shows the history of RAFG, from its beginnings in late 1945, right through until 2001, when Royal Air Force Bruggen, the last front line station, closed down as an active flying Station .
The Museum is located on the grounds of the civilian Airport Weeze.
Free Parking at Royal Air Force Museum Laarbruch
Directions:
- For the “normal” museum visitor, an agreement has been made with the airport that a parking space behind the COVA building can be used free of charge for the duration of the museum visit.
- Four lanes lead to the barriers and cash gates.
- If you want to visit the museum, take the left lane, which is somewhat confusingly called “exit”.
- It goes straight on through the roundabout.
- Immediately to the right is a white building with a big 7 and the lettering “COVA”.
- Immediately behind this building you turn right.
- From the parking lot it is only a few steps across the road to the museum.
The Association
“Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum Laarbruch – Weeze e.V.” was founded on the 30th of January 2006 in Weeze. It is a non-profit organisation and is registered as such in the Register of Associations in Geldern.
Left to right: Steve Freienstein, Guido Opgenoorth, Jan Thomas, Norbert Thul, Manfred Beckers, Wolfgang Wißmach, Reinhard Janssen, Hal Palmer, Dr. Bernd-Rüdiger Ahlbrecht, Mark Moodie, Heinz Willi Knechten
At the General Meeting on the 7th of June 2024 the following members were elected to form a committee:
Chairman | Heinz Willi Knechten, Weeze |
Vice Chairman | Reinhard Janssen, Weeze |
Treasurer | Norbert Thul, Weeze |
Secretary | Jan Thomas, Weeze |
Assessor | Dr. Bernd-Rüdiger Ahlbrecht, Kevelaer |
Assessor | Manfred Beckers, Geldern |
Assessor | Steve Freienstein (Hill), ex RAF, Goch |
Assessor | Mark Moodie, ex RAF-Police, Nieuw-Bergen, NL |
Assessor | Guido Opgenoorth, Weeze |
Assessor | Hal Palmer, Well, NL |
Assessor | Wolfgang Wißmach, Weeze |