Auckland is a city that lives on the water, and the New Zealand Maritime Museum explains why. Set on the edge of the Viaduct Harbour at the corner of Quay and Hobson streets, Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa follows a thousand years of seafaring, beginning with the Polynesian navigators who found Aotearoa by reading the stars, swells and birds. The galleries move on to the whalers and traders, the crowded immigrant ships that carried settlers across the world, the coastal trade and the boats Aucklanders build and race. The current exhibition, Our Ocean of Islands, turns the focus on the Pacific. Moored beside the museum are working heritage vessels, including the scow Ted Ashby and the Breeze, which take visitors sailing on the harbour on selected days. The museum is free for Aucklanders, and visitors from elsewhere buy tickets. This page links to the Tiqets entry ticket.
How to visit: the museum is a few minutes on foot from the Downtown Ferry Terminal and Britomart station, on the Viaduct Harbour waterfront. It opens daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm, and closes on Christmas Day. The Tiqets entry ticket gives you museum admission on your phone; harbour sailings on the heritage boats are booked separately through the museum and run on a schedule, so check before you plan around them.
What to expect: the museum is compact and indoor, which makes it a good choice for a wet hour or two, and it is easy to combine with a walk along the waterfront. Displays include full-size boats, ship models and interactive exhibits that work well for children. Allow around ninety minutes for the galleries, and longer if you add a sailing.
Making the most of it: visit before or after a Waiheke or Rangitoto ferry, since the terminal is close by, and finish with a drink or dinner at the Viaduct or in Wynyard Quarter. If you can, book a harbour sailing on a fine day, because seeing the city from the deck of a heritage vessel is the museum’s best experience.
What to expect
The experience
A waterfront museum of boats, models and interactive galleries on New Zealand’s seafaring history, with optional heritage harbour sailings.
Best time
Before or after a ferry trip from the nearby Downtown Ferry Terminal, or on a wet afternoon.
How long
About ninety minutes, longer with a sailing.
Tips
Check the heritage sailing schedule in advance and arrive before 4pm, when last entry closes.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Travellers curious about how Polynesian voyagers and settlers reached New Zealand.
- Families
- Full-size boats and hands-on displays keep children busy, and a harbour sailing is a treat.
- Couples
- Pair the museum with sunset drinks at the Viaduct Harbour or Wynyard Quarter.
- Pair with
- A Waiheke or Rangitoto ferry from the terminal next door, or the Sky Tower a short walk uphill.
- Time needed
- One and a half to two hours.
Good questions
Where is the New Zealand Maritime Museum?+
It is on the Viaduct Harbour at the corner of Quay and Hobson streets. The Downtown Ferry Terminal and Britomart station are a few minutes away on foot.
What are the Maritime Museum opening hours?+
The museum opens daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm. It is closed on Christmas Day.
Is the Maritime Museum free?+
It is free for Auckland residents. Other visitors buy an entry ticket, which you can book on Tiqets.
Can you go sailing from the Maritime Museum?+
Yes, heritage vessels such as the scow Ted Ashby and the Breeze take visitors sailing on selected days. Sailings are booked separately from museum entry.
How long do you need at the Maritime Museum?+
Most visitors spend about ninety minutes in the galleries. Allow more time if you add a harbour sailing.