Shared Treasures

What do you do when your collection gets too big? Open a museum of course!

Archibald Claphams liked clocks, big time. You know this when you step into Claphams Clock Museum in Whangarei’s Town Basin because that’s where his personal collection of more than 1300 clocks now resides, tick-tocking away, many of them chiming on the hour.

Clapham Clock Museum @ Whangarei District Council

Mt Maunganui is home to another fine example of a personal obsession getting right out of hand. A private collection of too many surf boards, classic relics and historic surf memorabilia needed to be preserved, displayed and shared and so the Mount Surf Museum was born.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the only bowls museum in the world is in New Zealand. The TSB Bank Bowls New Zealand Museum in New Plymouth has over 8000 exhibits including trophies from historical events. Yes, you guessed it – the museum started as a private collection; it was donated to New Zealand Bowls to develop into a museum for lovers of lawn bowls.