Bluff Museum offers local history and fascinating information about the many early shipwrecks in the challenging southern waters and coastlines of Aotearoa. With a growing collection of exhibits and artifacts, there is always something new to see.

The museum has a maritime theme with displays on whaling, oystering, shipwrecks, and the construction of the Bluff  Harbour Board. But it also delves into the history of Bluff, the oldest European settled community in New Zealand.  So, there is some fascinating history on offer.

The museum also exhibits artwork showing scenes of Bluff’s early days, when it was officially known as Campbelltown. Early maps depict that Bluff was always going to be an ideal place for a port to shelter ships and boats, from the elements of Foveaux Strait.

The Museums newest and biggest attraction is the oystering boat the Monica . The boat kindly donated by the Jones family is a permanent fixture beside the museum. You are able to board the vessel and explore it  and imagine what it was like out in Foveaux Strait dredging Bluffs delicacy.

Many of the wreck sites described at the museum can be visited along the Catlins Coast between Bluff and Dunedin.