About Us

The Edwin Fox Maritime Museum is owned by the Marlborough District Council and supported by the Edwin Fox Preservation Trust, which helps fund the preservation of this historic ship.

Our Staff

The Heart and Soul Behind Our Maritime Story

The Edwin Fox is part of Heritage Marlborough, the Heritage Unit of the Marlborough District Council.

Karen, our onsite manager, has been at the Edwin Fox for twelve years and has a wealth of knowledge about the ship.

She is ably supported by a team of visitor hosts

The Edwin Fox Maritime Museum has a strategic plan to guide its goals, priorities, and long-term vision. It helps staff focus efforts, support preservation, and enhance the visitor experience.

A weathered wooden boat with peeling blue paint, supported on wooden stilts inside a covered structure.
Trustees

The Edwin Fox Preservation Trust

The Edwin Fox Preservation Trust was set up to ensure that funds to preserve the ship go towards that purpose. Its development was spurred on by a generous donation from Dr John Hunt, a descendant of a doctor who sailed on the Edwin Fox. Under the terms of the Trust any money donated to it can only be used to preserve the ship. To read the Trust deed.

Cathie Bell

Cathie is a descendant of a migrant on the Edwin Fox. She lives in Blenheim with her family. Cathie’s Nana always used to tell her that her family came to New Zealand on the Edwin Fox whenever they passed it in Shakespeare Bay.

John Larcombe

John’s family settled at Dunganville on the West Coast during the 1860’s. His great grandparents migrated to the North Island and John resettled in Blenheim in 1982. John has always been interested in New Zealand’s early history.

Berly Bowers

Beryl is a fourth generation Picton resident and she loves being involved in her community. She has had several leadership roles over the years within Picton; the Volunteer Ambulance, Playcentre, Girl Guides, Picton School and Queen Charlotte College.

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
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!
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.