What it is
The museum opened in August 1993 as Hobson Wharf: Auckland Maritime Museum, at the corner of Quay and Hobson Streets. Its galleries trace the arrival of Polynesian navigators in oceanic canoes, the voyages of 19th- and 20th-century immigrants, coastal trade and the country's yachting history. Exhibits include iron ballast from HMS Endeavour and the anchor of HMS Bounty.
A permanent exhibition, Blue Water, Black Magic, is devoted to Sir Peter Blake and displays NZL 32, the yacht that won the America's Cup in 1995, while KZ1 from the 1988 challenge stands near the entrance. Several working heritage vessels are kept at the wharf, among them the scow Ted Ashby and the steam tender S.S. Puke.
Getting there by bus
The museum is at the bottom of the city centre, next to the Downtown Ferry Terminal. Stop E Lower Albert (stop 1006), about 160 metres away, is served by routes 95B, 95C, 97B and 97R; Stop A Lower Albert (stop 1002) has the NX1, Stop D Lower Albert (stop 1005) routes 105, 106, 11T, 11W and WX1, and Stop C Lower Albert (stop 1004) routes 18, 195 and 209.
Ferries leave from the Downtown Ferry Terminal piers between 160 and 300 metres away, including the DEV service to Devonport from Pier 2, the BAYS and BIRK services from Pier 1, and the RANG and MTIA services.
