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A view of the former Wellington Harbour Board Maritime Museum at which I worked on coming ashore in 1986. A real treasure-trove of maritime objects, models, archives and photograhs and film. Anyone who remembers the museum at this time will have fond memories of the museum and it's tireless curator and mentor the late Jack Churchouse.

141

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Great stuff what happened to it all??

Regards Paul.
 

Emmanuel Makarios

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Hi Paul,
The large model of the "DOM" is now in the National Maritime Museum at Auckland and some objects were returned to other museum's but most of what you see in the photo are in the Museum of Wellington City & Sea's collection - which is what the maritime museum became in the late 1990s but sadly a rather watered down (excuse the pun) version of a maritime museum as it now also focuses on Wellington's social history - that's progress.
Regards
Emmanuel
 

141

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Thanks Emmanual ,, we will be in Wellington in feb 09, have seen the DOM at Auckland ,last year ,great place cant wait to return , I was looking for the Snake Pit on Queen St ,buy much has changed since the 60s.

Regards Paul.
 

Emmanuel Makarios

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Paul while in Wellington it is worth visiting the Museum of Wellington City & Sea as it has one complete floor of maritime material on display which I'm sure you would find of interest another museum to visit is the Cable Car Museum which I now manage.
Regards
Emmanuel
 

141

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I will look forward to meeting you

Regards Paul
 

duncan montgomery

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i think they ruined a great museum when they changed this one .i had not been to wellington for awhile and was looking forward to going to the new style museum but came away very dissapointed whos brain wave was it to change it they should be done for treason a great museum gone duncan
 

Emmanuel Makarios

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Hi Duncan - the Wellington City Council made the change in direction after contracting Rodney Wilson who was Director at the time of the National Maritime Museum, Auckland ( not funded by Gov, but still call themselves the National )who torpedoed the museum causing her to go down almost with all hands. A case of conflict of interests I would think. Inparticular since the Wellington Harbour Board had given the WCC, from memory $10 million to refit the building and set it up as a maritime museum. I think Rodney may have thought that if he scuttled the museum his museum may have benefitted from its world class collection - just my opinion.I have to say that I have moved on regarding this matter as a lot has changed everwhere we look but I sometimes think of what could have been.
Regards
Emmanuel
 

Ngaio 62

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A veritable treasure trove.
I first came here when I was in the Cubs-very early 70's. Jack Churchouse was the vurator and the museum occupied this downstairs gallery and another upstairs. both at the south end of the building. I must say I do miss it.

thanks for the memory Emmanuel.
 

sydney heads

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Hi all, looking forward to visiting NZ via cruise port calls early next year.
Anyone dare to suggest the best maritime themed museum to visit,
particularly in regard to the model ships?
Cheers John
 

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