Faraday Museum of Technology

19/03/2026

The doors may be closed, but the buzz is real! ☀️🐝

Our amazing working bee crew is hard at work behind the scenes—keeping things running and improving your experience.

Take a guess… what do you think we’re working on? 👀

18/03/2026

We asked ChatGPT today
“What are the top 5 family places to visit in Napier?”

Guess what made the list? 👀

𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞!⭐ 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝟒.𝟗

𝐀 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬
𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧:
• 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬
• 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭
• 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬

It may be small, but it’s packed with hands-on learning and fascinating history for both kids and adults.

Planning your next family day out in Napier? Make sure these great spots are on your list:
🐧 National Aquarium of New Zealand
🌊 Marine Parade
🌄 Bluff Hill Lookout
🌳 Anderson Park

And of course… Faraday Museum of Technology!

Have you visited yet? We’d love to hear your favourite family spot in Napier!😊👇

16/03/2026

“Great staff and lots of interactive exhibits and demonstrations. The display of a Tesla coil producing electricity made everyone go wow ⚡. Loved the display of tin toys and the grocery shop with original packets 🛒. Vintage arcade games in working condition 🕹️. A great museum for kids and adults of all generations to visit together 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦. Good gift shop and spotless toilets.”

Thank you for the wonderful review and for spending the day with us at the Faraday Museum of Technology! ⚡🔬

There’s nothing better than seeing multiple generations exploring, playing, and learning together. We can’t wait to welcome you back! 🙌😊

📍2b Faraday Street, Napier

14/03/2026

🎲✨ Throwback to “Generations of Fun”! ✨🎲

Two years ago, the Faraday Museum hosted Generations of Fun — a special exhibition showcasing vintage and modern toys side by side. From timeless classics to today’s favourites, it sparked memories (and smiles!) across all ages.

Here are a few photos from the exhibition that brought out the kid in everyone. 🧸🚂

Would you like to see more exhibitions like this at Faraday? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

12/03/2026

We’re excited to share a fantastic new addition to the Faraday Museum!

A huge thank you to Stim craftsmanshipfor custom-making our incredible new Giant Connect 4 game 🎉

This beautifully crafted piece is not only a fun, hands-on activity but also a great way to bring families, friends, and visitors together while exploring the museum. We’re so grateful for the skill, creativity, and care that went into creating it.

Come down, challenge someone to a game, and experience it for yourself! ♟️

📍Faraday Museum of Technology, Hawke's Bay

10/03/2026

📻✨ Tech Throwback Tuesday ✨📻

On 17 November 1921, New Zealand heard its very first radio broadcast with speech and music — a huge leap from the harsh buzz of Morse code.

The breakthrough came from Robert Jack of the University of Otago, using a homemade transmitter built from navy surplus parts.

There’s no recording of that original moment, but Radio New Zealand later recreated it in a 1972 documentary celebrating 50 years of broadcasting.

Want to see early radios up close? Pop into the Faraday for a glimpse into NZ’s broadcasting history! 📻

09/03/2026

⚡The Faraday Museum of Technology is full of fascinating machines and hands-on exhibits, but it’s the volunteers behind them who really bring the place to life! Behind the scenes is a passionate group of locals who give their time to share their love of mechanics, science, history and how things work.

The Faraday team is looking for more volunteers to help bring exhibits, experiments and stories to life. Come along to the Volunteer Open Day on 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟖 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝟏𝟎𝐚𝐦-𝟏𝟐𝐩𝐦, and see how you could be part of the team.

Come along for a cuppa, meet the volunteers, explore the exhibits, and have a chat about what it’s like to be part of the team. No registrations needed, just turn up and say hello! 👋

They’re keen to welcome more people aged 16+ who enjoy tinkering, sharing knowledge, and inspiring the next generation of curious minds. We'd love to see you there!

🪐 Learn more about volunteering at the Faraday: www.faradaymuseum.co.nz/be-a-volunteer

06/03/2026

📅 Save the Date – Our Volunteer Drive Is Back!

🗓 Wednesday 18 March
⏰ 10am – 12pm
📍Faraday Museum of Technology

Curious about what goes on behind the scenes at the Faraday Museum of Technology?
Interested in becoming a volunteer? Come along to our Volunteer Open Day and find out more.

Enjoy a cuppa, meet the team, and have a relaxed chat about what volunteering at the Faraday is really like.

Whether you're into tinkering, technology, history, or simply enjoy meeting people, this is a great chance to see how you could get involved.
Drop in, say hello, and see if the Faraday is the right fit for you.

For more information, visit our website👉 https://www.faradaymuseum.co.nz/be-a-volunteer/

04/03/2026

⚡ Historic Powerhouse Fun Facts!

Did you know the Faraday Street powerhouse was built between 1911–1913 as Napier’s very first municipal power station? It didn’t just light up homes — it powered the city’s tram system, including the line out to Ahuriri! 🚋

Inside, you’ll find a rare 1923 Fullagar diesel generator — believed to be one of only two ever made, and possibly the only one still in existence today. 🔧

After being decommissioned, the building was saved by passionate locals and reopened in 1993 as the Faraday Centre — now a hands-on technology museum where Napier’s electrical history comes to life. 🏭✨

Come and see where the city’s power story began!

📍2b Faraday Street, Napier, Hawke's Bay
https://www.faradaymuseum.co.nz/

01/03/2026

Do you remember our Polyphon in the Faraday Shop? 🎶

One of our beloved Polyphons has been playing for almost a century! While it’s stood the test of time, it does occasionally need a little care. Thankfully, we’re incredibly lucky to have talented volunteers who can fix what the rest of us can’t.

If you’d like to see (and hear!) this beautiful masterpiece from a century ago, pop into the Faraday Shop and give it a go. You won’t want to miss it!

26/02/2026

🕵️‍♂️ Can you figure out what I am?

💭 Comment your guess below and see if you’re right!
📲 The answer will be revealed on our stories next Monday. Don’t miss it!

26/02/2026