Prime Minister John Key and Museum Director Commander David Wright at the opening of the Navy Museum at Torpedo Bay. (MC10-0346-057)
18 October 2010
The new Navy Museum at Torpedo Bay reopened to the public this month.
Located in the historic buildings of the 1896 Submarine Mining Base, the large building informally known as the ‘Connecting-up Shed’ now houses the main museum exhibits, public rooms, and a café.
The Museum’s Director, Commander David Wright welcomed the formal opening of the new museum by Prime Minister John Key on 8 October:
“The opening of the Navy Museum was a great moment for Museum staff, the project team, the display designers, Opus Consultants and the various contractors involved. It was also a moment of great pride for the Museum Trust Board and the Navy, who had the courage to make the decision to go ahead in 2008, after many alternative concepts for a naval museum had come to nought.”
“In this new Museum we endeavour to tell the story of New Zealand and its Navy, a story over a century old. The displays tell the story of New Zealanders and their Navy through two World Wars, the Cold War and today’s era of peacekeeping and multi-national naval operations.
“Torpedo Bay has close links to Devonport’s history and to the story of HMNZS PHILOMEL, the present naval base, just down the road”, he said.
From Torpedo Bay, the public will be able to see the ships of today’s fleet sailing in and out of Auckland, as they head to and from naval operations. Inside the Museum visitors will learn how and why our ships were deployed in the past and why those tasks remain relevant today.
Opening hours:
• 10am to 5pm, Seven days a week
• Torpedo Bay Café 8am to 5pm
Navy Museum Website: http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/default.htm