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Claphams National Clocks Museum
Whangarei and surrounding
Museums, Galleries, Exhibitions
Museums, Galleries, Exhibitions

Whangarei is home to the world-famous clock museum, which has more than 2,100 exhibition pieces. The collection of this museum is the largest collection of clocks in the southern hemisphere.

Many locals remember fondly the creator of the museum—the inventor, artist, and man with a great sense of humor Archibald Clapham, who was born in Yorkshire and moved to New Zealand in 1903. He became interested in studying and collecting clocks as a child. And by the middle of his life, the collection of various clock mechanisms numbered more than 400 copies. By then, the exhibits occupied most of his home.

Clapham brought an unusual collection with him when he moved to a new country. He began to receive guests in his house just a year after his move. He was showing the exhibits, telling their story, and, of course, accompanying all this with sparkling jokes. Actually, his favorite clocks were those that made people laugh. Archibald believed that things should bring happiness and not to upset the owners.

In 1961, Archibald Clapham, already at an advanced age, gave his collection for a nominal fee to the administration of the city of Whangarei. It would be more correct to say that he just gave his treasures, asking the administration to save them and to show them to everyone.

A few years later, the city opened a large museum, the Claphams National Clocks Museum, which housed the existing collection. And gradually it began to increase. Some of the exhibits were given by fans of the museum, some were purchased at the expense of patrons. But to date, the number of clocks in the museum has increased almost threefold. And now there are not only old mechanical clocks that Clapham loved so much, but also ultramodern novelties that impress with their appearance and working principle.

In this museum, you can see how time passes, and things change with it.

Address: Lower Dent Street 0110

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Praskovia Ko

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