Qantas Founders Museum is a wonderful example of a community getting together and honouring the achievements of a group of remarkable people who established the iconic airline as we know it today. Qantas Founders Museum is a world-class, multi-award winning museum, here to tell the story of Qantas from its early days in Outback Queensland to present day.
In 1988, a meeting of Western Queensland communities established Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd (QFM) and formed a trust in recognition of the enormous service Q.A.N.T.A.S. had given to the people of the Outback. These efforts culminated in June 1996, with the opening by the Governor General of Australia of the $1.3m Stage 1 of Qantas Founders Museum in the (now National Heritage Listed) National Heritage Listed Qantas Hangar at Longreach.
Since the Museum’s opening in 1996, the need for a main and modern museum building had already been identified. With the assistance of Government Funding Stage Two of Qantas Founders Museum was completed and opened in March 2002. The new climate controlled building included a restaurant, four galleries, main exhibition hall, boardroom and office area. Qantas Founders Museum continues to create new displays, exhibits and experiences to expand the Qantas story which the Museum tells. Recent new exhibits and experiences include interactive table displays, Catalina Double Sunrise Display and museum tours.
To preserve some of Australia’s aviation heritage for future generations to enjoy, Qantas Foundation Memorial Ltd and Qantas Founders Museum engaged in a $14.3 million project to build a roof over the museum’s airpark enclosure to protect these iconic aircraft from the fierce Western Queensland sun. This was possible with funding from Federal and Queensland Governments.
As part of the Airpark Roof construction, Qantas Founders Museum installed a state of the art light and sound show, Luminescent Longreach, which projects the 100 year story of Qantas on the mighty Boeing 747, Boeing 707 and Super Constellation. This created an unique, world-class night experience for Longreach, the region and guests alike. This project was completed in 2020 and launched after re-opening from the COVID-19 closure.
