collections
about our Collections
The Collections have a Wellington history focus, including its civic, social, cultural, maritime and economic development. They have been established through the transferral of material from the Wellington Maritime Museum Trust, the Colonial Cottage Trust and the Cable Car Museum. READ MORE about our Collections
Plimmer's Ark
Beneath what is now a central city building, the remains of a sailing ship were uncovered in 1997. The remains were the hull sections of the 1848 sailing ship Inconstant which became a warehouse known as Plimmer's Ark. At two conservation sites the Plimmer’s Ark Project tells the story of the Inconstant - of Plimmer’s Ark and its owner John Plimmer - and shows the conservation of the timber remains of the Ark. READ MORE Plimmer's Ark
cataloguing
This is a systematic documentation of the museum’s vast Collections, recording the physical details and location of each object and then searching museum records to collate all relevant information. The Museum uses Vernon Systems (a computer-based object cataloguing system) to catalogue its objects, with the majority of work completed by our wonderful Museum volunteers. Find out about our current cataloguing projects. READ MORE cataloguing
research
Items in the Collections are available to other institutions for research purposes or for general public viewing. READ MORE research
resources
Find out more information on Wellington history with our fact sheets or view the entire exhibition archive. READ MORE resources
Octant (part of the Museums Wellington Collection)
This curious object is called an octant because its arc measures an eighth of the circumference of a circle. It was a navigation tool that was used to measure the angle between the Sun or stars and the horizon. The fixed and moveable mirrors enable angles up to ninety degrees to be measured.
By comparing the angle of the octant with an angle taken from a table or chart and then using spherical trigonometry to arrive at an assumed position, the distance to the ship’s actual position could be calculated. The distance was plotted on a chart to produce a ‘position line’ and two ‘position lines’ were needed to pin-point a position.
However, using this type of navigation when land was not in sight was tedious. Furthermore, it was prone to error and dependent on good weather. Measuring and working out a set of six stars could take approximately thirty to forty five minutes to reach a conclusion that was accurate to within one nautical mile. This system was used up until the mid 1970’s, when satellite navigation or GPS produced instantaneous, continuous and accurate positions to within a few metres. This technological development effectively turned the quadrant octant, the sextant, and stellar navigators into ‘museum pieces’.