New Zealand Maritime Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui A Tangaroa
New Zealand Maritime Museum
General information
Type	Museum, maritime history
Location	Auckland, New Zealand
Address	Corner Quay Street and Hobson Street
Inaugurated	1993
Owner	Auckland Unlimited, Auckland Council (indirectly through Auckland Unlimited)

The New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui A Tangaroa is a cool museum in Auckland, New Zealand. It is right on Hobson Wharf, next to the Viaduct Harbour in the city center. This museum shows off New Zealand's amazing history with the sea.

You can learn about the first Polynesian explorers and settlers. It also covers modern sailing victories, like the America's Cup. The museum's Māori name is 'Te Huiteanaui-A-Tangaroa' . This means "holder of the treasures of Tangaroa", who is the Sea God.

Museum History and Opening
- The Launchman's Building
Exploring the Museum's Collections
- Main Exhibitions to See
- Special Document Collections
Amazing Seaworthy Ships
The Peter Blake Exhibition
Gallery
See also

Museum History and Opening

The New Zealand Maritime Museum opened its doors in 1993. This was a big year for Auckland, as the America's Cup sailing race was held there. The museum's first director was Rodney Wilson. He worked hard to raise money to build the museum, which cost about NZ$11.1 million.

The Launchman's Building

Part of the museum's entrance is an old building called the Launchman's Building. It was built in 1920. This building used to be home to many small boat companies. In 1981, it was recognized as a special historic place. Many of the first items in the museum were borrowed from the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Exploring the Museum's Collections

The museum has many interesting collections and displays. They help you learn about New Zealand's connection to the ocean.

Main Exhibitions to See

Polynesian and Māori Journeys: Discover how early Polynesians and Māori people sailed and explored. See their amazing boats and navigation skills.
European Explorers: Learn about the first European voyages of discovery to New Zealand.
Settlement and Immigration: Find out how people arrived in New Zealand by sea to live here.
Coastal Trading and Whaling: See how ships moved goods along the coast. Learn about the history of whaling and sealing.
Modern Shipping and Services: Explore today's big commercial ships. Understand the work of lifeboats, pilots, and coastguards.
Navigation and Art: Learn about how sailors find their way. See beautiful art inspired by the sea.
Water Sports and Trades: Discover fun water activities and the jobs related to the sea.
Harbour History: Learn about the history of Auckland's busy harbor.

Special Document Collections

New Zealand Maritime Index: A collection of documents about all sorts of sea topics.
New Zealand Maritime Record: Photos and stories about New Zealand ships.
Bill Laxon Maritime Library: A library with photos, maps, and other important papers.
Lighthouses in New Zealand: Information about the lighthouses that guide ships safely.
New Zealand Maritime Firsts: Learn about New Zealand's big achievements in sea travel.
Immigration Shipping Lists: Documents showing who arrived in New Zealand on ships.

Amazing Seaworthy Ships

Besides the boats inside the museum, there are also real ships docked outside. You can often see them on the water!

Breeze: This ship was built in 1982. It's a copy of an old brigantine, a type of sailing ship. It was used for trading along the New Zealand coast.
Puke: This small boat is from the late 1800s. It has a steam engine. It helped move logs along the coast and rivers.
Ted Ashby: Built in 1993, this ship is a copy of a ketch-rigged scow. These were common in northern New Zealand in the late 1800s. You can even go for public sailings on the Ted Ashby almost every day!
Aotearoa One: Launched in 2013, this is a modern version of a traditional waka. It shows how old and new boat designs can come together.

Sometimes, people from the Royal New Zealand Navy help out at the museum. They assist with keeping the ships and other items in good shape. The Rapaki steam crane, a large floating crane, was once part of the collection but was removed in 2018.

The Peter Blake Exhibition

The museum has a special extension built in the late 2000s. It cost NZ$8 million. This part of the museum is home to an exhibition called Blue Water, Black Magic. It celebrates the life of Sir Peter Blake, a famous New Zealand sailor. The exhibition even includes his original boat, NZL 32, also known as Black Magic.

Gallery

New Zealand Maritime Museum HUITE ANANUTA TANGAROA
New Zealand Maritime Museum Gift shop
This is a piece of pig iron ballast from Captain James Cook's ship, the HM Bark Endeavour. It was found in Australia, where the Endeavour ran aground in 1770.