Collections
Bill Laxon Maritime Library
The Bill Laxon Maritime Library is a reference only library, with a comprehensive collection including:
• Books and magazines about New Zealand's maritime history
• Archives and manuscripts collections, including the Auckland Harbour Board Archives and the Northern Steam Ship Company Archive
• over 400,000 images of predominantly 20th century vessels
• Vessel registers
• Hundreds of vessel plans and maritime charts
• Oral history recordings.
The library's catalogue is not available online, but we welcome enquiries from those searching for resources about a particular topic, vessel or voyage.
Research services
If you would like to access the library's collections for research, you can visit the library on Thursdays 10am-4pm, or by appointment - danielle@maritimemuseum.co.nz Mondays - Wednesdays.
An entry fee of $10.00 is payable at the Museum's front of house.
If you would like to request that research be undertaken on your behalf, please complete a research enquiry form and we'll be in contact with you within three working days.
Research fees apply.
| Research fee | First 15 mins free After that, $30.00 per half hour |
| Document scanning | $30.00 per half hour (for multiple documents) |
| Document copying | $30.00 per half hour (for multiple documents) 20 cents / page (A3/A4 b&w) 40 cents / page (A3/A4 b&w) |
| On-site photography using own camera | Photography allowed for many library and archival items, with staff guidance. Some restrictions may apply. |
| High-res scanned image for private or research use | $5.00 per image (subject to copyright) |
| High-res scanned image for use in a book or serial offered for sale | $25.00 per image (subject to copyright) |
| High-res scanned image for use in a video, CD-Rom, DVD, TV programme or film | $35.00 per image |
Looking for information about an ancestor's immigration voyage?
Here are some suggested starting points.
Contact the library
Phone (09) 373 0810
Email danielle@maritimemuseum.co.nz
Location
New Zealand Maritime Museum, Level 2.