TV – Bounty Museum Claimed

Tickets: $15 with unlimited return entry and wi-fi access.

The Bounty Museum on Norfolk Island has a rich history and showcases various aspects of the island’s past. It was made possible by the efforts of two couples, Moira and Bill Winner, and the founding collector Karl Davies and his wife. Their dedication and contributions have played a vital role in preserving the island’s history.

The museum has received significant support from the local community over the past 12 months. Donations of artifacts and interesting items for display, as well as Norfolk Island and Pitcairn Island memorabilia, have enriched the museum’s collection. The locals’ ideas and suggestions have been instrumental in making the Bounty Museum a remarkable institution in the South Pacific.

The museum offers visitors a glimpse into the challenging life of early settlers, particularly during the whaling era. Despite the hardships, the island experienced periods of prosperity, ingenuity, and change, which the museum documents. It provides valuable insights into the lifestyle of the turn of the century on the island.

The Bounty Folk Museum narrates the intriguing history of Norfolk Island, from the stories of ill-fated convicts to the survival of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives. Despite its small size, the museum boasts a wide-ranging collection of artifacts. Visitors can explore Bounty memorabilia, early photographs of Pitcairn settlers, old weapons, and even some unsettling antique medical instruments. Additionally, handwritten research books offer a deep dive into Norfolk Island’s history beyond major historical events.

A highlight of the museum is the exhibition “Captain Bligh, Myth, Man, and Mutiny.” It commemorates Captain Bligh’s remarkable feat of leadership during a harrowing journey. Stranded in the South Pacific with limited supplies, Bligh sailed an overloaded launch across 3600 nautical miles from Tonga to Timor, showcasing endurance, navigation, and leadership against incredible odds. Visitors can see the launch and gain a better understanding of this incredible survival journey.

The Bounty Launch, built to an exact scale in 2017 by the Maritime Museum in the UK using the original plans from the BOUNTY, was acquired by the Bounty Museum Trust in 2022 and is now a permanent exhibit on Norfolk Island.

In recognition of its outstanding service, the Bounty Museum received a 2023 Travellers’ Choice award from Tripadvisor. This award celebrates the positive reviews and feedback from travelers worldwide, highlighting the museum’s commitment to providing excellent experiences to its visitors. The owner, Dale, expressed gratitude to those who have taken the time to review the museum on Tripadvisor, emphasizing the importance of their feedback in shaping the museum’s offerings.

The iconic Bounty Museum on Norfolk Island exists today because of two couples Moira and Bill Winner and founding collector Karl Davies and his wife. It holds a special place in the heart of the island, whose relationship with this unique Museum began some 45 years ago in the late 1970’s.

The Bounty Museum Trust is incredibly proud of the significant number of amazing people who have helped the Bounty Museum in the past 12 months, be it with donations of artifacts or gifting the museum interesting items for display and lending us Norfolk Island and Pitcairn Island memorabilia. To all those special locals thank you for your wonderful ideas and suggestion, your helping make the Bounty Museum the most amazing little Museum in the South Pacific.

The life of an early settler was tough, particularly on Norfolk Island where wealth was built on the back of whaling. It was hard, back breaking, dirty work, but throughout this period, as the island grew, we witnessed periods of great prosperity, ingenuity, and change.

The Bounty Museum is a testament to a period now long gone and offers a wonderful insight into Island life at the turn of the century. We hope you enjoy our museum as you walk in the footsteps of our pioneers.

The Bounty Folk Museum tells the strange and startling history of Norfolk Island, from the harrowing tales of ill-fated convicts brought here, to the against-the-odds survival of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives.

Though small in size, the museum is wide in scope, with lots of artefacts to pore over. Discover Bounty memorabilia, early photographs of Pitcairn settlers, old weapons and some frankly quite terrifying antique medical instruments.

Browse handwritten research books and get lost in the page-turning plot of Norfolk Island’s past. You’ll also get a good sense of the day-to-day life on the island, not just the key historical events.

The Bounty Museum’s Captain Bligh, Myth, Man and Mutiny is a triumph of endurance, navigation and leadership. Cast adrift in the South Pacific, Bligh and his men seemed to face certain death. 19 men packed into the launch, which was only 23 ft long and a little more than 6 ft wide. Supplies were only enough to last that many people on normal rations, for five days.

The journey would take 48 days. In a remarkable feat of leadership, Bligh sailed the heavily overloaded Launch to safety across 3600 nautical miles of open sea from Tonga to Timor, in the east Indies. This journey has been described as one of the greatest boat survival voyages of all time, a triumph of endurance, navigation and leadership against extraordinary odds.

See the Launch and experience the reality of this gruelling journey through some of the world’s most remote and unforgiven seas. Uncover the secrets of survival and get a closer understanding of Bligh’s epic feet.

The Bounty Launch was hand built back in 2017 to exact scale by the Maritime Museum in the UK at a cost then of $50,000 pound ($96,000 dollars Australian) using the original plans from the BOUNTY and took the Maritime Museum 9 months to complete.

The Launch was purchased by the Bounty Museum Trust (Norfolk Island) in 2022 from the Maritime Museum (UK) and is now housed permanently here on Norfolk Island.

The Bounty Museum is proud to announce that it has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2023 Travellers’ Choice award winner – and it’s all thanks to YOU!

Dale the owner said “ A giant thank you to everyone who has taken time to leave a review on Tripadvisor. There are lots of kind and amazing comments – and it means a lot to us. Your feedback is really important, as it helps us develop what we offer at the Bounty Museum”.

The award celebrates businesses that have received great traveller reviews from travellers around the globe on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. The Bounty Museum stood out by consistently delivering positive experiences to our many visitors.

Accessibility: Welcomes people with access needs

Facilities: Car park, Coach Parking, Enquiry Desk, Family Friendly, Gallery / Museum, Interpretive Centre