Museums of Banks Peninsula

Akaroa Museum
Lyttelton Historical Museum
The Thornycroft Torpedo Boat Museum
The Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum

There are four museums in the Banks Peninsula district. These are located at Akaroa, Lyttelton, Magazine Bay and Okains Bay:

Akaroa Museum
Lyttelton Museum
Thornycroft Torpedo Boat Museum - Magazine Bay
Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum.

The Council funds the Akaroa museum and supports the Lyttelton museum by a rates remission, a cash grant as well as building and insurance maintenance. Support is given to the Okains Bay Museum Trust Board by way of a rates remission and cash grant.

Akaroa Museum

This museum reflects the varied and colourful history of Akaroa, Banks Peninsula and New Zealand.

The museum includes three historic buildings, two of which the Langlois-Eteveneaux House and the Court House are incorporated into the museum complex. The third historic building is the Custom House (1852) situated within walking distance of the museum.

Location
Corner of Rue Lavaud and Rue Balguerie, Akaroa. Opening hours:

Summer (From Labour Weekend) 10.30am - 4.30pm
Winter (From Easter Weekend) 10.30am - 4.30pm.

Admission

Adult $3.50
Child (16 and under) $1
family (max two adults and four children) $8
students (over 16) $3
senior citizens (65 and over) $3
school groups per head $1
family history enquiries $5.

Contact us
Phone: (03) 304 1013
Fax: (03) 304 1013
Email: akaroa.museum@ccc.govt.nz
P.O. Box 35
Akaroa 8161

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Lyttelton Historical Museum

This museum features the many aspects associated with Lyttelton history. It includes colonial, maritime and Antarctic relics, photos and models.

Location
Gladstone Quay, Lyttelton.

Opening hours

Summer: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 2 - 4pm
Winter (June-August): Saturday, Sunday 2 - 4pm.

Admission
Free, donations appreciated.

Contact us
Phone: (03) 328 8972

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The Thornycroft Torpedo Boat Museum

Scale model of torpedo boat

[ larger view ]

Housed in the category 1 powder magazine building (1874) at Magazine Bay, Lyttelton, this museum primarily exhibits the remains of Thornycroft torpedo boat number 168.

A 36 minute documentary film is shown on request. The film sets out the political context of the Russian scare as it affected New Zealand and Australia and relates the history of torpedo boats in general with specific regard to number 168. It displays historic photographs of the vessel, her crews, exercises and shows graphics of how the spar operated. The 1999 recovery of the Torpedo boat and its subsequent restoration as well as the general history of Magazine Bay as a military reserve are also covered.

As well as the partly re-constructed bow and stern of the Lyttelton torpedo boat, the museum features a scale model of the vessel and an example of the steam engine that once powered it. This is in pristine working order obtained from one of its long scrapped sister ships.

Thornycroft torpedo boat number 168 - a brief history
One of four torpedo boats purchased by the New Zealand Government in 1883 in response to the possibility of an invasion by Russian forces.

1883	Built in Chiswick, London by John I Thornycroft and company
1884	Commissioned at Lyttelton
1899	Decommissioned and sold
1900	Towed to Purau
1909	Pulled into sandhills by Mount Herbert County Council traction engine and broken in two
1958	Remains buried
1999	Excavated and remains conserved for display

Particulars of number 168 -Thornycroft spar torpedo boat

Length	63'
Beam	7'6"
Draught	3'4"
Crew	5
Armaments	30' Spar torpedo 35lbs gun cotton charge
Hull	Constructed of 1/16inch galvanised high tensile steel
Powered By	Coal fired steam engine giving a maximum speed of 17.5 knots; 650rpm
	Dimensions are in feet/inches

Vessel plan [PDF 55KB]

Magazine Bay is situated within a former five acre military reserve, which was gazetted in 1885 at the time of Russian expansionist threats in the Pacific. The torpedo boat formed part of the coastal defence system for Lyttelton Harbour which included strategically placed gun batteries.

A gun was established on the headland above the magazine building. A slipway and shed for the torpedo boat was built in the bay and also caretaker's and gunner's cottages. The reserve reverted to local Council control in 1984. Interpretative signs are provided.

The sandy beach and reserve are popular places for swimming and picnics in summer and the area has good all season walking tracks.

Location
Magazine Bay, Lyttelton

Museum location map [PDF 28KB]

Opening hours

Summer - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 1pm - 3pm
Winter - Saturday, Sunday 1 - 3pm.

Admission

Adult $2
Child 50c
Group tours - by arrangement, refer to the Lyttelton information centre.

Contact us
Phone: (03) 328 9093
Email: lyttinfo@ihug.co.nz
Lyttelton Information Centre
20 Oxford Street
Lyttelton 8082

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The Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum

The Okains Bay Maori and colonial museum offers visitors a wonderful look at the life and material culture of the Maori people as well as beautifully preserved examples of early colonial life in New Zealand.

The collection includes over 20,000 Maori and European artifacts. There are also cottages, stables, a print shop, a blacksmith shop, stationary engines and a saddlery. Two Maori Waka are used for Waitangi Day celebrations each year, one of which dates to 1867.

The Museum has recently acquired the Akaroa Grandstand which has been completely reconstructed on site. Most of the carvings on the magnificent meeting house were done by John Rua, a well-known New Zealand master carver, all traditions and tapu were observed. There are also 11 small wooden boats including some dating from the late 1800s, such as whalers, rowing quads and clinker builts. These boats are currently undergoing major conservation and restoration work.

Location
Main Road, Okains Bay, Banks Peninsula

Opening hours