- Address: 149-159 Quay Street | Viaduct Harbor, Auckland 1140, New Zealand;
- Phone: +64 9-373 0800;
- E-mail: info@maritimemuseum.co.nz;
- Website: http://www.maritimemuseum.co.nz/;
- Working hours: from 9.00 to 17.00 daily (the entrance is allowed until 4 pm)
Even if you have visited many interesting corners of our planet, a visit to the Maritime Museum "Voyager" ( Oakland ) is sure to become one of your most intriguing memories. It is for him that tourists who are interested in the sea and everything connected with it, are eager to visit New Zealand . But the museum, thanks to its original exhibits, is also ideal for family holidays.
This institution is located in the city of Auckland, directly on the shore of the Bay of Freemans. If you want to get to know this mysterious island country, there is nothing better than listening to the fascinating story of the guide on how the development of marine business in New Zealand, from the Maori canoes to the world-famous yachts Team New Zealand and Black Magic, participating in the regatta America's Cup.
Exhibitions of the museum
Expositions of the sea museum are unlikely to bore you with monotony. Once you cross the threshold, you can become a spectator of a fascinating movie show. In the museum, every quarter of an hour is shown a small animated film Te Teka Teka. His story describes the arrival of the first settlers in New Zealand more than 1000 years ago. The Maori Indians - the first Aborigines - sailed here from a few tiny islets in central Polynesia.
Walking through the halls of the museum, you will learn a lot of interesting facts about the history of sea battles, whaling, navigation, rescue on the water, trade between sea powers and much more.
After that, you should pay attention to the following exhibitions:
- "It's closer to the shores." Its theme is the discovery of New Zealand several hundred years ago by the first European navigators. It was with these trips of the Dutch, English, Spanish, French, many of whom subsequently settled here, began the maritime history of the country. The "highlight" of the exhibition, which attracts the views of numerous visitors, is the merchant ship "Reva" (Rewa), built in the 19th century and restored later.
- "New beginnings." The objects of this exposition will lift the veil of the past over the life of emigrants who moved here in the 1850s and 60s. A hard life at home led to the fact that people massively threw their families, property, homeland and went here to start a new life. The basis of the exhibition are mock-ups of crew cabins, on which immigrants traveled.
- "Black Magic of the Open Sea". This exhibition is a tribute to Sir Peter Blake - the renowned sailor and yachtsman, the nature defender and the winner of many of the most famous marine competitions of world significance. His name is known to almost every New Zealander.
- «Gallery of Marine Art». It is related to the museum with an art gallery, because here are collected the most beautiful and talented works of New Zealand artists, seascapes. Having been here, you will feel what it is like to live from childhood in the midst of magnificent sea spaces.
- "New Zealanders and the coast." This exposition is intended for those who like to reflect. Its exhibits will tell you about the close connection of local residents and the sea, about how this mighty element affected the way of life and worldview of New Zealanders.
The museum has a rich collection of ancient navigational lists of immigrants, ship magazines, photographs and articles about the vessels of New Zealand and other documents on this subject. You can also seem to be transported in time by visiting the cabin of the ship's helmsman, decorated in the style of the 19th century, as well as a special sea "holiday home", furnished according to the fashion of the 1950s.
What should I pay special attention to in the museum?
The naval museum has its own small fleet, which includes three sailing ships. Some of them do number several centuries and have just undergone restoration, and some are simply excellent copies of the original sailboats. Each ship remains on the run and visitors will even be offered a ride on them. .
Unusually, the floating Rapaki crane, working for a couple and built in the Scottish shipyards in 1926, also looks like.
Every year the museum hosts a fantastic festival lasting several days. It involves the most unusual and magnificent ships of New Zealand , and their owners even let you on board. At the end of the festival, the program of which is extremely rich, you will witness a large salute.
The museum has a shop and a cafe with a bar. In the store you can buy clothes, toys, books, CDs and souvenirs with sea symbols. The cafe is open from 10am to the last visitor on weekdays and from 8am on weekends. Here you will be offered not only a tasty meal, but also relax with a cocktail worthy of a real "sea wolf". The interior of the establishment is also decorated in the appropriate style.
How to get there?
The museum is located next to the city information center of Auckland and the ferry terminal across the street from which the central street of Queens Street stretches. Immediately at the terminal there is a bus station linking the central area of Auckland and the airport. Therefore, the museum can easily be reached by buses 97, 953, 83, 954, 955, 974, 973, 972, 971 to the stop 1 Lower Albert Str.
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