The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands has been awarded a £1 million grant from the Biffa Award to support the development of a major new exhibition exploring the story of the RAF from 1980 to today.

The funding, awarded through the Landfill Communities Fund, will contribute to the delivery of ‘The RAF: 1980 to Today’ exhibition, a central element of the Museum’s wider Inspiring Everyone: RAF Museum Midlands Development Programme.

The innovative new permanent exhibition will share the critical role of the RAF over the past 40 years, inviting visitors to discover the RAF’s role today and how it is adapting to the future including its responsibilities for space and cyber defence. Through compelling storytelling, immersive aircraft and object displays, and digital interactives, visitors will gain insight into the people, technology and operations that define today’s RAF.

Biffa Award, is a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to communities and environmental projects across England and Northern Ireland as part of the Government's Landfill Communities Fund. The RAF Museum’s Biffa Award grant will support essential elements of the exhibition’s design and build, including display cases, lighting, setworks, mannequins, interactives, mount making, and specialist infrastructure.

Maggie Appleton, CEO of the Royal Air Force Museum, said, "We are enormously grateful to the Biffa Award for this transformative £1 million grant. This funding will enable us to create a bold and immersive exhibition that explores the RAF’s story from 1980 to today, a period of rapid technological change, global operations and evolving challenges. As part of our Inspiring Everyone development programme, this exhibition will help us connect with new audiences, reflect contemporary service life, and inspire visitors to think about the RAF’s future. The support of the Biffa Award is instrumental in helping us realise this vision at our Midlands site."

Rachel Maidment, Grants Manager at Biffa Award, said, "We are delighted to support the RAF Museum Midlands with this significant grant through the Landfill Communities Fund. This new exhibition will shine a light on the vital work of the RAF over the last four decades, helping visitors of all ages connect with the people, technology and stories that continue to shape our national defence. At Biffa Award, we are committed to funding projects that inspire, educate and strengthen communities, and we are proud to help bring this important exhibition to life."

The new exhibition forms part of sitewide transformation of the RAF Museum Midlands, made possible with the support of funders including The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Royal Air Force, as well as the RAF Museum’s own investment. The redevelopment will also deliver a state-of-the-art Learning Centre, Collections Hub, expanded green spaces, along with a community engagement programme, ensuring the Museum remains nationally relevant and accessible for decades to come. The new spaces will be available for visitors to enjoy from summer 2027.