Events & Exhibitions

Discover the stories of the Edwin Fox’s colourful past. Learn about the lives of crew and passengers who travelled aboard this remarkable ship. Watch an engaging documentary and explore fascinating artefacts and historical displays.

Step outside to view the exterior of the ship and imagine the harsh conditions passengers once endured. You’ll be amazed by the scale of the vessel and the atmosphere it evokes — a true step back in time to the lost world of sail.

Edwin Fox Museum Pirate School

9 Oct

07 Nov 2025

09 Oct 2025

Pirate school is open for the Easter school holidays! Bring your little pirate in for some 'piratey' fun ARRRHH.

Edwin Fox Museum presents 'A night with Convicts!'

16 Sep

16 Sep 2025

From pick pockets to famous train robbers the convicts were an interesting bunch. We are learning more and more about their crimes and indeed what happened to them after they were released in Western Australia.

Timber & Technique: Shipbuilding of 1853

3 Sep

05 Sep 2025

03 Sep 2025

Celebrate the craftsmanship behind the Edwin Fox’s teak hull, one of the most intact examples of mid-19th-century ship construction.

Edwin Fox Museum Gold Coin Day

11 Jul

11 Jul 2025

In celebration of World Museum Day and Marborough Heritage Festival we are holding a gold coin donation day.

Refrigeration Revolution

3 Jul

03 Jul 2025

Discover how the Edwin Fox’s 1885 conversion into a floating freezer reshaped global food trade and powered New Zealand’s economy.

Convict Life Unveiled

10 Jun

18 Jun 2025

10 Jun 2025

Step back in time and explore the harsh realities and personal stories of the convicts who sailed aboard the Edwin Fox.

Edwin Fox Descendant Muster

16 Apr

06 Aug 2025

16 Apr 2025

We are holding a muster for descendants of the original passengers of The Edwin Fox, over Kings Birthday weekend, if you would like to register as a descendant please click on the link to register.

The World of Wooden Sailing Ships

Step into the world of traditional shipbuilding and maritime exploration as you uncover the story of the Edwin Fox. Discover how wooden sailing ships were built and came to rule the oceans in the 19th century.

Visit Us

A carved whale tooth depicts a sailing ship, titled "The Old Clipper Fox." The background features blue, with faint ship outlines, evoking a nautical theme.

The Edwin Fox in Picton

Learn how the Edwin Fox came to rest in Picton in 1897 and played a key role in the early days of the Picton Freezing Works. Then, uncover the remarkable story of her rescue and restoration, and how she became the treasured museum ship you can explore today.

Explore

An old, weathered ship with peeling blue paint rests in a calm harbor. Small buildings are on deck, surrounded by lush, green hills in the background.

Passenger Stories

Uncover the stories of convicts, courageous crew members, and hopeful migrants who journeyed across oceans on the Edwin Fox.

Read Stories

An older man in a suit and tie stands beside a woman in a long dark dress with a lace collar, posing for a formal studio portrait.

Testimonial

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!

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!

Exterior of the Edwin Fox Maritime Museum, a stone building with a gray metal roof, set against lush green hills and blue sky.