Russell Museum Whare Tāonga o Kororāereka is between the main street and Kororareka Bay in Russell. Although small, it does an excellent job of describing the arrival of Māori and the early visitation and impact of Europeans in the Bay of Islands. The exhibits include a stunning 1/5th scale replica of Captain James Cook’s ship, the Endeavour and whaling and Māori artifacts from the early 1800s.
There is also a lengthy description of the lesser-known French involvement in the region, including the disaster of Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne in 1771, rumours of French intentions to claim sovereignty over NZ in the 1830s and the establishment of the Pompalier Mission of 1841.
There is a modest fee to visit the museum.
10 images