On a flying visit to a secret museum in London

London boasts of more than 192 museums, ensuring that visitors always have plenty to explore, rain or shine. Alongside renowned institutions like the V&A, British Museum, Natural History Museum, and Tate Modern, London is also home to niche museums such as the Postal Museum, Museum of Brands, London Transport Museum, and the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Amidst this rich cultural backdrop, a lesser-known gem awaits inside the headquarters of British Airways.

Established in 2011 within the British Airways’ headquarters at Waterside, the Speedbird Heritage Centre serves as a repository for the records and artefacts of British Airways’ predecessor companies, including BOAC, BEA, BSAA, and pre-war Imperial Airways Limited. The centre, curated by Jim Davies, British Airways’ in-house historian, features an extensive document archive alongside a fascinating collection of memorabilia, mementos, and artefacts.

The collection includes rows of cabinets showcasing items dating back to 1926, such as menus from the earliest flights and historic flight maps. Noteworthy artefacts include a passenger seat from 1926, predating the introduction of seat belts on planes, and the flight log from the first scheduled international flight, which flew from London to Paris on August 25, 1919. Visitors can also view mock-ups of various cabin configurations, including the World Traveller, World Traveller Plus, Club World, Club Suite, and First cabins.

One of the centre’s most popular attractions is its collection of Concorde seats and an Airbus A380 titanium Rolls-Royce engine blade. Not to be missed is the display of 130 uniforms spanning from the 1940s to the present day, including the iconic saree uniform introduced in 1954.

The displays also highlight the rich history of British Airways and its predecessor airlines. For example, the exhibition recounts the journey of the first BA flight, operated by Aircraft Transport & Travel (AT&T) on August 25, 1919. It also features artefacts and stories from significant milestones, such as the first flight to India in a de Havilland DH66 Hercules.

The museum offers insights into the evolution of air travel, from the early days of aviation to the modern era.

Exhibits include models of historic aircraft like the Comet and modern planes like the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380.

Additionally, it showcases the airline’s longstanding relationship with the British royal family, featuring artefacts such as the telegram Queen Elizabeth received informing her of her father’s death. As British Airways celebrates 100 years of flying to India this year, the Speedbird Heritage Centre provides a captivating glimpse into the airline’s storied past.