Torpedo Bay Navy Museum facts for kids
The Torpedo Bay Navy Museum in 2025
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| Established | 9 October 2010 |
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| Location | Devonport, New Zealand |
| Type | Naval history |
The Torpedo Bay Navy Museum is the official museum for the Royal New Zealand Navy. It is located in Devonport, a suburb of Auckland. The museum first opened its doors in 2010. It replaced an older naval museum that was much smaller.
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This museum tells the exciting story of New Zealand's navy. It shows how the navy has protected the country and helped people around the world. You can learn about brave sailors, powerful ships, and important events.
The museum has a long history of its own. It started small and grew over time.
From Small Beginnings to a Big Museum
The very first museum for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) opened in 1974. It was just one room inside a navy building called HMNZS Philomel. Only navy staff could visit for a few hours each week. Other groups could visit by making an appointment.
In 1982, the museum moved to a slightly bigger building. This new spot was on Spring Street, still near HMNZS Philomel. However, even this building quickly became too small for all the amazing naval history.
Finally, on 9 October 2010, the RNZN Museum moved to its current, much larger home. This new location is at Torpedo Bay in Devonport. The museum is housed in special buildings that were built way back in 1896. These buildings were originally used to control naval mines at the entrance to Waitematā Harbour. They were updated and made ready for the museum at a cost of $NZ 1.5 million.
Exploring the Museum's Amazing Exhibits
The Torpedo Bay Navy Museum has many interesting displays. They show New Zealand's naval history, starting from the Flagstaff War in 1845.
Brave Ships and Lucky Charms
One of the first displays features a British warship called HMS New Zealand. New Zealand helped pay for this powerful ship. The display includes a special piupiu. A piupiu is a traditional Māori warrior's skirt. It was given to the ship's captain when the vessel visited New Zealand in 1913. The captains of the warship wore this piupiu in battle during World War I. They believed it would bring them good luck.
Other exhibits cover World War II. You can learn about the cruiser HMNZS Achilles. There's also a story about a battle on 29 January 1943. In this fight, two small New Zealand minesweepers, HMNZS Kiwi and HMNZS Moa, fought a much larger Japanese submarine I-1 near Guadalcanal island.
Protecting New Zealand and the World
The museum also highlights the RNZN's role in more recent conflicts. These include the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, and the Vietnam War. You can also learn about their work in the Gulf War and the War in Afghanistan. The navy also helped with New Zealand peacekeeping efforts during the Yugoslav Wars.
Beyond fighting, the RNZN has important peacetime jobs. They help protect New Zealand's fishing areas. They also perform search and rescue missions and help with disaster relief. Another important task is conducting hydrographic surveys. This means mapping the ocean floor to help ships navigate safely.
