Created as an association in 1970, the French and Dutch bilingual association AELR ‘’Les amis du Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace – De vrienden van het Lucht- en Ruimtevaartmuseum’’ Friends of the Air and Space Museum aims to help and contribute to the development of the Air and Space section of the Royal Museum of Armed Forces – MRA-KLM.
Promoted in 2021 to Royal Association, its activities are carried out under agreements signed with the MRA, which provides premises and equipment.
The activity of the AELR has developed thanks to the volunteers working in the workshops restoring old aircraft, in its Documentation Centre which has a reference library and photographic archives, and in the SABENA stand where the memory of our old airline is perpetuated. AELR volunteers are also active in the MUSEUM SHOP located at the entrance next to the ticket office and which offers for sale, amongst other publications, many books dedicated to aviation. The AELR also operates the SKY CAFÉ located in the Aviation Hall.
The association has edited the Brussels Air Museum Magazine since its creation. More than 50 years of publishing and 188 issues published by the end of 2020.
