National Transport and Toy Museum, Wanaka

Part of the collections of classic cars and fire trucks in one of the hangars of the museum

The National Transport and Toy Museum in Wanaka, New Zealand is a museum with several buildings that display a range of collected items such as toys, models, cars, trucks, aircraft and motorbikes. It is located adjacent to the Wanaka Airport on State Highway 6.

There are over 30,000 toys on display and more than 600 cars with new items being constantly added.^[1]

The main building houses the toy collections, notably a very large collection of Star Wars toys and memorabilia, a display of Barbie dolls through the decades numbering in the hundreds, classic wooden and metal toys, as well as teddy bears and porcelain dolls. A toy shop at the entrance also sells a range of modern toys.

The collections of vehicles and aircraft are grouped into large hangars. One hangar contains collections of classic British and European cars and a range of fire trucks from throughout the 20th century, while another one houses mostly military vehicles and aircraft, and a third hangar continues with collections of classic American and Australian-manufactured cars.

Outside of the buildings, the displays continue with machinery in various states of restoration, such as a long row of tractors and farming machinery.

History

The collection began by Gerald Rhodes of Christchurch but the location of Wanaka was chosen in 1988 because of its dry climate. Building began in 1994 with the opening to the public occurring on December 26, 1995.

It was originally called the Wanaka Transport and Toy Museum before re-branding to the current name of National Transport and Toy Museum.^[2]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Transport and Toy Museum, Wanaka.

• The National Transport and Toy Museum official site

References

Coordinates: 44°43′22″S 169°14′24″E / 44.722729°S 169.240020°E / -44.722729; 169.240020