Museums - New Zealand

CHRISTCHURCH and CANTERBURY

Ferrymead Printing Society

The Ferrymead Printing Society is part of the Ferrymead Heritage Park which is made up of a number of volunteer societies.

The park itself is open 10.00am to 4.30pm daily (except Christmas Day) with trams running every weekend, during school holidays, public holidays and on special event days that occur at regular intervals. Trains operate a scheduled service - contact the office for details. Rides (when operating) are unlimited and included in the entrance price.

The Printing Society premises are in two parts. The smaller front entrance, a static display of printing presses and a period newspaper office, is open at all times the park is open. The larger collection is open only when volunteers are available - which tends to be weekends and during special event days.

Click here for some Printing Shop photographs

Try the Park's website to check out the Park or phone on (03) 384-1970.

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Yaldhurst Museum of Transport & Science

On the outskirts of Christchurch this museum has both transport exhibits and a large printing shop with a wide range of letterpress equipment dating from the 1820/30's to the 1960's. The highlight of the collection for me is the large Wharfdale newspaper printing press made in 1863. This machine is in working order and may well be the only one of its kind in the world.

The museum's web site is sophisticated, comprehensive and worth checking out. The museum is located on School Road, Christchurch RD 6, near the Yaldhurst Tavern and 20 m inutes from Christchurch. Telephone (03) 342-7914 or fax (03) 342-7916.

The web site gives current opening times (every day except Christmas Day), admission fees, and has a map for getting there (they are very easy to find).

Click here for some Printing Shop photographs

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BANKS PENINSULA

Okains Bay Museum

This small museum, which brings together Maori and colonial history, is well known for the strength of its collection of Maori artifacts. Amongst the rare objects are a sacred god stick dating back to the year 1400, a war canoe dating to 1867 and a valuable Akaroa hei tiki recovered in England and brought back to Okains Bay by the museum's founder.

Colonial pioneering life is shown in displays in the colonial hall. There are also cottages, stables and working smithy, and a print shop. The print shop contains an intertype caster, a platen and a wonderful huge Albion iron hand press. It was one of two used for many decades by the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury. The Department gifted it to the Ferrymead Printing Society who in turn gifted it to the Okains Bay museum.

The museum, which is usually open 10-5 is situated on Main Road, Okains Bay, Banks Peninsula. Phone: (03) 304 8611. Phone to check times.

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WELLINGTON

The Printing Museum (Inc)
(formerly the Bedplate Press Printing Museum Inc.)

This Museum holds a range of printing presses, bindery equipment, hand-set type and typecasting machines used in New Zealand from 1840 to the 1970s. The museum does have working exhibits but is currently in storage premises, pending the location of secure permanent premises, so public access is limited (but can be arranged).

The museum is keen to have new members so contact them if you have an interest in printing.

Postal address: 113A Stokes Valley Road
Stokes Valley
Lower Hutt 5019
Wellington

Check out the website for the latest news and details.

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FEILDING

Homeprint

Homeprint is a working, letterpress printing museum specializing in the practise and teaching of all aspects of 'book art'. The museum is set in a 120 year old home with an enormous original art collection, many teaching studios and a half acre garden.

Located at 11 Sandilands Street, Feilding, Homeprint is 2 hours drive from Wellington or 20 minutes from Palmerston North. John Brebner works full time at Homeprint.

Full contact details, information on tours and courses and a lots of photographs are on their web site (see link above).

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NEW PLYMOUTH

Taranaki Aviation Transport and Technology Museum (TATATM)

The museum is situated about 5 km south of New Plymouth on the corner of Kent Road and State Highway 3. It has a number of buildings each housing a particular theme: aviation, land transport, another pioneer technology, and communication devices (ranging from PABX stuff to valve radios, teleprinters etc).

The printing section has hot metal typesetters, foundry type, printing presses (1 "Jobber" hand platen, 1 SOAG cylinder press, albion style hand platen), composing and other equipment.

TATATM is open: 10:30am - 4.30pm Sundays and most public holidays. Tour Parties & Education Groups etc. are catered for at other times on request. Group Discounts apply.
The museum can be contatced at PO box 4135 New Plymouth or by e-mail as listed on their website.

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AUCKLAND

MOTAT Museum of Transport & Technology

The museum is spread over two sites and records many of the technological developments that have helped shape New Zealand. It has a print section with static displays and some equipment is operated by AHP members on open days.

AHP members will be in attendance a couple of times a month. As this information becomes available I will post it in the News section. If making a special trip call MOTAT beforehand to confirm days and times.

Location: 805 Great North Road, Western Springs, Auckland. For information, including current events and exhibitions, call the MOTAT Infoline 0800 MOTATNZ (0800 668 286)

Office hours are 8.30am to 5pm, Mon to Fri, phone 09 815 5800 and fax 09 846 4242
Postal: PO Box 44 114, Point Chevalier, Auckland, New Zealand.

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RUSSELL

Pompallier House

Pompallier House at the town of Russell has a special place in New Zealand history. It was a French Marist (Catholic) mission in the early part of European contact and settlement in New Zealand. A major part of its early role was as the site of a printery and bindery for the production of Christian material. Pompallier is New Zealand's earliest surviving example of a rammed earth building and the oldest building associated with the history of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand. It was built in 1841-42.

Two very special printing exhibits are the Gaveaux press (French manufacture Stanhope press) and a replica of a French common press (i.e. a hand press where the frame is made from wood - a younger cousin to the presses used by Gutenberg, Caxton, and Benjamin Franklin). The replica is based upon the designs of the French common press built and used at Pompallier in the 1840's.

Hours of opening, admission fees and guided tour times are listed on the Historic Places website.

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