Torpedo Bay Navy Museum

Torpedo Bay Navy Museum Welcome to Torpedo Bay, Devonport, home of the Navy Museum. As an island nation, the sea has been crucial to New Zealand for travel, commerce, and defence.

Take a journey through the memories, perils, loss, triumph and humour of the men and women who served - and continue to serve - this country on the ocean waves. And the navy has taken a key role in this country's security and development. Take time to enjoy this unique organisation, its fascinating stories, its courage, comradeship, and commitment as it serves New Zealand now and in the future. Ne

w Zealand residents - Free. International visitors 18+ $15. How to get to the Museum - Torpedo Bay is located at the base of North Head overlooking the Waitemata Harbour, Devonport, Auckland. It is an easy 15-minute walk from Devonport Wharf and is easily accessible by public transport (Devonport ferry). Catch the 807 bus from the Ferry Terminal - there are two stops located within an easy 2-minute walk to the Museum. Torpedo Bay is fully accessible for visitors with restricted mobility. Venue Hire - The Whakatere Conference Room is a unique concept in conference facilities. Located within the Navy Museum at the historic Torpedo Bay in Devonport. Catering menus and room hire rates are available on request. Education Programmes and Group Bookings - Navy Museum offers a diverse range of programmes for schools, teachers and community groups including exhibition tours, free resources and programmes. Bookings are essential. Kids Activities - lots to engage children within the galleries. Holiday activities for children are held each school holiday throughout the year. Cafe - The Torpedo Bay Cafe offers spectacular views over the Waitemata Harbour, central Auckland CBD, providing great coffee and a menu of delicious New Zealand cuisine. Open Mon-Sat 7.30am -4pm, Sun 8am - 4pm and public holidays 8am - 3pm. Store - Art, books and unique souvenirs are available from the Navy Museum store.

On this day in 1963, the flag was raised for the first time at HMNZS Tamaki at Narrow Neck. We found this great image fr...
08/09/2026

On this day in 1963, the flag was raised for the first time at HMNZS Tamaki at Narrow Neck. We found this great image from that day in the collection, but unfortunately the people in the image aren't identified. Can you help identify any of the officers? Possibly Commodore Joffre Vallant?
Image: GN 63 10466 01

Aroha Nui i Tēnei Rā o Nga Pāpā - Happy Father's Day to all the dads in our community. This little girl looks a little u...
05/09/2026

Aroha Nui i Tēnei Rā o Nga Pāpā - Happy Father's Day to all the dads in our community. This little girl looks a little unsure about her reunion with dad! We reckon this is a perfect image for a 'caption this' - any ideas?
Image: Sailor from HMNZS Gambia is reunited with his family November 1944 OC 296

We found this great class photo from 1963 in the collection. On the left is Frances Filmer. Can you help identify the ot...
03/09/2026

We found this great class photo from 1963 in the collection. On the left is Frances Filmer. Can you help identify the other three Wrens?
Image: GN 63 10466 01

31/08/2026

📕 It is ALWAYS a good day to read a book! 📕

Some of our absolute favourites -

⚓️ JACKSPEAK - A guide to Naval Slang and Language
⚓️ ANZAC GIRLS - The Extraordinary Story of our WW1 Nurses
⚓️ NOT ENOUGH ROOM - Naval Slang
⚓️ A KNOT A DAY - 365 Knot Challenges for all Abilities
⚓️ BUILT FOR THIS - A Memoir of Masculinity, Military Service and Pride

Check out our great range of books online and instore now!

Happy first Day of Spring! Spring has sprung. Are you brave enough to take a dip yet or a paddle? Are you waiting for th...
31/08/2026

Happy first Day of Spring! Spring has sprung. Are you brave enough to take a dip yet or a paddle? Are you waiting for the warmer months to brave the water? Image is one of our favourites from the collection showing a group of Wrens paddling cWW2.
Image: APD 0015

Challenge Coins are FINALLY back in Stock! -⚓️ Canterbury⚓️ Endeavour⚓️ Otago⚓️ Philomel⚓️ Te Kaha⚓️ Te Mana⚓️ Wellingto...
31/08/2026

Challenge Coins are FINALLY back in Stock! -

⚓️ Canterbury
⚓️ Endeavour
⚓️ Otago
⚓️ Philomel
⚓️ Te Kaha
⚓️ Te Mana
⚓️ Wellington
⚓️ Manawanui
⚓️ Aotearoa
⚓️ Matataua
⚓️ Taupo
⚓️ Ensign

Online and Instore now! 🤝

From the Collection: AB R. Ayre in Galley with apron full of veg. Ship unknown c1964.Image: PN 64 01026
30/08/2026

From the Collection: AB R. Ayre in Galley with apron full of veg. Ship unknown c1964.
Image: PN 64 01026

From the archive: Queen Elizabeth's cousin, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, at the la...
28/08/2026

From the archive: Queen Elizabeth's cousin, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, at the launch of HMNZS Waikato at Harland and Wolff Ltd, Belfast, February 1965. Princess Alexandra launched the ship with a bottle of wine from the Te Kauwhata vineyard. Invivo
Image: GN 65 12385 01

On this day in 1914, as part of the British Cruiser Force HMS New Zealand participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight...
28/08/2026

On this day in 1914, as part of the British Cruiser Force HMS New Zealand participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern North Sea. It was the first naval battle of the First World War. Read LT AD Boyle's recollections of the battle on our website: https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-themes/world-war-one/battle-of-heligoland-bight-lt-ad-boyle/
Image: Watercolour painting of the Battle of Heligoland Bight by Montague Dawson Object No: 2012.38.3

Happy   to all our canine friends - pets and our incredible service dogs. Here's Sue the bulldog one of HMS Achilles mas...
26/08/2026

Happy to all our canine friends - pets and our incredible service dogs. Here's Sue the bulldog one of HMS Achilles mascots - who can resist that face!

Here's a great image from the   with a canine mascot!  It's the band from HMS Wahine with their bulldog mascot. HMS Wahi...
23/08/2026

Here's a great image from the with a canine mascot! It's the band from HMS Wahine with their bulldog mascot. HMS Wahine (not to be confused with the second Wahine, tragically wrecked in Wellington in 1968) had previously been a ferry. She was built for the Wellington-Lyttelton overnight service and was completed in 1913. Her speed and maneuverability made her an excellent choice as an auxiliary warship. On 15 July 1915, she left Port Chalmers for Britain, and after an extensive refit, she was commissioned as a dispatch vessel. She saw service running between Malta and Mudros, the support base for Gallipoli. After the evacuation of Gallipoli, HMS Wahine returned to England, where she was transformed into a minelayer for service in the North Sea. She spent the rest of the First World War based on the east coast of Britain, where she carried out 76 mining missions. She was returned to the Union Company in 1919 and re-entered the Wellington-Lyttelton ferry service.
Image: EZH 026

This week in 1945, a platoon of Royal Marines and a group of sailors from HMNZS Gambia under the command of Lieutenant-C...
22/08/2026

This week in 1945, a platoon of Royal Marines and a group of sailors from HMNZS Gambia under the command of Lieutenant-Commander G.R. Davis-Goff DSC, RNZN landed and took the surrender of the Japanese Naval Base at Yokosuka. Five days earlier, Imperial Japan had surrendered to the Allies, signalling the end of the Second World War. The formal surrender was signed on USS Missouri on 2nd September.
Image: OC 1123 HMNZS Gambia crew hoisting the White Ensign at the Yokosuka Naval Base.

This week in 1943, 19 August, HMNZS Tui sailed from Noumea as an antisubmarine es**rt for the US Navy supply ship USS Ta...
21/08/2026

This week in 1943, 19 August, HMNZS Tui sailed from Noumea as an antisubmarine es**rt for the US Navy supply ship USS Taganak and the liberty ship Wiley Post, bound for Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu). That afternoon, a sonar contact was made. Tui made a run over the contact, dropping two depth charges. Two American aircraft quickly joined the hunt. The submarine surfaced, and Tui opened fire with her 4-inch gun, scoring two hits. Three American aircraft then attacked with depth charges; the submarine was seen to upend and sink vertically. Three minutes later, two heavy underwater explosions were heard. Tui recovered six Japanese sailors, the only survivors of the submarine’s crew. After interrogation, they disclosed that the sunken submarine was HIJMS I-17. In February 1942, the I-17 had shelled an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California.
Image: HMNZS Tui, 1943 ABJ 0043

Address

64 King Edward Parade Devonport
Auckland
0624

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+6494455186

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