The Science Museum has a large collection of aircraft and other artefacts made from modern metals, including aluminium and magnesium alloys. As these are relatively new, little research has been carried out on the best way to conserve such materials in a museum environment. Aluminium is a reactive element, but any freshly exposed surface rapidly develops a thin coating of oxide. This provides a protective barrier to corrosive agents, so that in practice aluminium actually corrodes slowly, often by pitting. Since this is a localised type of corrosion, however, there can still be highly destructive consequences. This paper details attempts to find an inhibitor for aliminium corrosion, suitable for conservation purposes. Surface analytical techniques are mainly used; these include scanning electronmicroscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary ion mass-spectrometry (SIMS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), infrared and Raman spectroscopies and optical microscopy. The corrosion behaviour in aluminium, and the behaviour of inhibitors, are being tested in two distinct ways. A long-term atmospheric exposure study of aluminium treated with one of several different inhibitors has been initiated, based on preliminary studies carried out in the laboratory. In situ corrosion testing with Raman, XPS and microscopy is also underway.