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National Transport & Toy Museum facts for kids
Some of the classic cars and fire trucks at the National Transport and Toy Museum
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| Former name | Wanaka Transport Museum (1995-1999), Wanaka Transport and Toy Museum (1999–2009) |
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| Established | December 26, 1995 |
| Location | Wānaka, New Zealand |
| Type | [[Transport museum](Toy museum)] |
| Founder | Gerald Rhodes |
The National Transport and Toy Museum in Wānaka, New Zealand, is a super cool place! It's one of the biggest private collections in the Southern Hemisphere. Imagine seeing over 650 vehicles, 23 airplanes, and a whopping 100,000 toys! Plus, there are thousands of other interesting things. This amazing museum is owned and run by one family. You can find it right next to the Wānaka Airport on State Highway 6.
Contents
Explore the Amazing Toy Collection
Inside the main building, you'll find a huge part of the toy collection. This includes a very large collection of Star Wars toys and cool stuff. There's also a display showing Barbie dolls from different decades. You can see classic wooden and metal toys, along with teddy bears and fancy porcelain dolls. Don't forget to check out the toy shop at the entrance! It sells lots of modern toys and models.
Discover Vehicles and Aircraft
The museum has many large hangars. These buildings are filled with all sorts of vehicles and aircraft. You can see cars, airplanes, and even airport ground support vehicles. There are also construction vehicles, farm tools, and farm tractors. Look out for fire engines, military vehicles, motorbikes, scooters, and mopeds. You'll also find pickup trucks, big trucks, and old horse-drawn vehicles. The museum even has marine vehicles and many other unique items.
Outdoor Displays and Play Areas
Outside the buildings, the fun continues! You'll find machinery in different stages of being fixed up. There's a long row of tractors and farming machines to explore. The museum also has both indoor and outdoor play areas. You can even try out adult-sized pedal cars. Plus, there are anti-aircraft guns that visitors can sit in and move around!
History of the Museum
The person who started this amazing collection is Gerald Rhodes. He began collecting items way back in the 1950s in Christchurch. Wānaka was chosen as the perfect spot for the museum. This was because of its dry weather and its location near the Wānaka Airport. Being on the main road (State Highway 6) also helped. Building the museum started in 1994. It first opened its doors to the public on Boxing Day, December 26, 1995.
How the Museum Grew
When the museum first opened, it had two main buildings. These were called The Main building and The Hangar. As Gerald's collection grew bigger, more space was needed. In April 2004, a large building called "The Fire Station" was built. It was 1440 square meters! In 2005, Hangar 2 was added, which was 2000 square meters. Most recently, in 2023, a huge 2600 square meter Marquee was put up.
Changes to the Museum's Name
When the museum first opened, it was known as the Wanaka Transport Museum. As the toy collection grew, its name changed to the Wanaka Transport & Toy Museum. Then, in 2010, it was renamed again to its current name: the National Transport and Toy Museum.