The mission of the Rhode Island Quonset Air Museum (QAM) is to preserve, interpret and present Rhode Island’s aviation history through collections, research, education and exhibits.
Founded in 1992 with the assistance of then Governor Bruce Sundlun, the air museum educates the public in the state’s rich aviation legacy and displays collections that document the contributions of Rhode Island to the growth and development of aviation and space exploration.
Ashburton has a strong aviation history, being a training base in World War 2. There were 50 Tiger Moths based there. The original tarmac and tie-down rings are still there to this day. These helped to secure the planes from Mid Canterbury’s strong nor-west winds.
The Ashburton Aviation Museum is well worth a visit.
