Pier Store Museum
The Norfolk Island museums offer to the visitors the unique multi-layered history of the island, which was first settled by Polynesian, then in 1788, by the British, who made the island an infamous convict colony. Since 1856, the island has been home to the descendants of the Bounty mutineers.
There are four museums located in heritage buildings in Kingstone and showcase Norfolk's past, as well as the present living culture.
Kingstone with heritage listed buildings. Photo by Author.
Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area is one of 11 historic sites forming the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property.
In July 2010, the Australian Convict Sites was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List Collectively. The sites are representatives of the global phenomenon of the forced migration of convicts.
Museums:
Pier Store
HMS Sirius
Commissariat Store
No. 10 Quality Row
Pier Store
The Pier Store museum is located at the end of Pier Street, the last building before the Kingstone Pier.
Pier Store museum. Photo from norfolkislandmuseum.com.au
The building was originally built in 1825 as a Commissariat, meaning a Government store. It was built close to the beach to allow for the unloading of goods quickly, but an extraordinary tide caused by a tsunami flooded the building.
After the flood, the Commissariat was converted into a corn mill. With the arrival of the Pitcairners in 1854, the building became a customs house. A complete renovation of the building began in 1977 and in 1988 it became the current museum.
The museum displays the story of the mutiny on the Bounty in 1789, the discovery of Pitcairn Island and the life of the mutineers and descendants on Pitcairn.
Pier Store museum. Photo fromhttps://www.facebook.com/norfolkislandtourism/photos
In particular, the giant kettle on the right in the above photo was brought ashore on Pitcairn Island from the Bounty around January 1790. The kettle witnessed all the drama of the mutineers and their Tahitian female companions. It was later used by William McCoy as a still for fermenting liquor.
The kettle served useful purposes for all the years on Pitcairn Island such as cooking fish, boiling seawater for salt and according to one 1820s account, as a musical instrument accompanying Arthur Quintal (senior) striking a rhythm stick and Dolly Young tapping a holed calabash.
One of the last surviving mutineers, John Adams, had a vision while drinking liquor brewed in the kettle. He saw Michael, the Archangel, who instructed him to give up drinking, teach the children to read and write and to lead the community in a Christian life. Adams, who himself had been taught to read and write by fellow mutineer Edward Yong, then taught the children to read and write using the Bounty Bible and book of Common Prayer.
In 1856, the Pitcairners landed the kettle on Norfolk Island and it has remained with its people ever since. There are artefacts from the Bounty, such as cannon, kettle and ironstone platter and from Pitcairn Island such as the codex of law, wooden carving and Pitcairn Bibles.
Upstairs, the display continues to highlight aspects of Norfolk history and culture such the Anniversary, or Bounty Day.
The Pier museum. Photo from norfolkislandmuseum.com.au
Photo by Author.
Old boat nearby the Pier Museum. Photo by Author.
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Single Tickets: Adults: $10.00, this is for entry to anyone museum for a single visit. School-age children visit he museums: Free.
Explore four museums at your leisure with the Museum Multi Pass for $35.00
It includes multiple entries to all four museums at any time during your stay, as well as two guided Tag-A-Long tours. These tours include a guided journey behind the scenes, to reveal additional stories from the museum collection and Norfolk's history. There's no need to book, simply turn up on the two mornings that suit you. All tours leave from the R.E.O. Bookshop at 9:30am and take approximately an hour and a half.
Opening hours of the museums Monday to Saturday 11:00am to 3:00pm.
Tag a long tour schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Commissariat Store and No. 10 Quality Row
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Sirius Museum and Pier Store
Reference:
norfolkislandmuseum.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/norfolkislandmuseum/posts/you-can-learn-all-about-our-incredible-history-at-the-norfolk-island-museums-tak/3827096680647229
https://kingston.norfolkisland.gov.au/visitor-information/norfolk-island-museum
