Research

The Edwin Fox provides a window into the world of sail. She was part of the great global movement of people and goods in the second half of the nineteenth century.

Research

A Window Into The World of Sails

As one of the world’s few surviving 19th-century wooden sailing ships, the Edwin Fox offers a rare and valuable resource for academic study. Over the past decade, the ship has been central to several national and international research projects.

Examples of Recent Research:

Dr. Kurt Bennett explored the Edwin Fox in his PhD on British colonial ship design, highlighting the vessel as a key example of Shipwright Artistry and 19th-century maritime innovation.

Rina Ash used the Edwin Fox as the focus of a PhD in museum-based 3D design. Through laser scanning the hull, she developed an interactive 3D model of the ship.

Drs Adrian Shubert and Boyd Cothran, Canadian historians, featured the Edwin Fox in their book on globalisation and empire. They used her voyages to explore patterns of migration, trade, and labour. The book is available in our museum shop.

We welcome proposals from academic researchers, postgraduate students, and heritage professionals. Whether your focus is maritime history, material culture, conservation, colonialism, or digital heritage—we’d love to hear from you.

Contact us to discuss access, available resources, and collaborative opportunities. The Edwin Fox is more than a museum piece, she is a gateway to the global history of the 19th century.

An old, weathered ship partially restored, showcasing peeling green paint, wood decay, and wooden supports inside a shelter.
Keep Learning

Other Ways to Explore and Learn About The Edwin Fox Ship

From exploring our online collection to diving into academic research and tailored education programmes, there are plenty of ways to learn more about the Edwin Fox beyond your visit. Discover the ship’s global story, access educational resources, or reach out to us for customised support.

Testimonial
Wow this was a gem we didn't expect. A lovely museum full of stuff, a really interesting short movie about the Edwin Fox - and seeing a real 1853 convict ship in real life is one of those once in a lifetime things! Well worth the entry fee. Thank you .
Wow this is a gem!
Wonderful to see the Edwin Fox in dry dock being preserved for the future. The story of how it happened including captivating displays, personal stories and easy to digest explanation via a top movie presentation shown in the 1st floor mini theatre together bring this important history to life and make you glad you visited Picton.
An Important story for NZ and Australia
What a great museum!!! So well curated with informative displays and to be able to walk around the ship is an amazing experience. Would highly recommend.
A little gem of a museum. If you are in Picton just go, you won’t regret it!
Excellent price for what's on offer. I loved the upstairs room with the chronology of the boat, the documentary video about it, and also the more general history of shipping in the area. The ancient boat itself was the cherry on top. Great experience and thoroughly recommended!!
Delightful museum
A must visit especially if you want to learn about your ancestors and how they came to New Zealand. Very interesting and lots of information about the ship that bought many of our ancestors to New Zealand. Interactive, good for kids and very interesting video. Worth spending at least an hour looking through. Staff were very knowledgeable and keen to help. Good variety of merchandise for sale.
A must visit!
Exterior of the Edwin Fox Maritime Museum, a stone building with a gray metal roof, set against lush green hills and blue sky.