About Us
New Zealand Museum
We are a New Zealand museum showcasing our nation's military history, telling the stories of kiwi soldiers and exploring our participation in major conflicts worldwide.
- Mission
- History
- Structure
- Director's Profile
- The Trust Board
- Trust Board Members
- Executive Management Committee
Mission
To engage New Zealanders in the stories of our soldiers and the history and development of our Army: to show how these have shaped our identity as a country and our place in the world, and thereby to help create a nation which understands and values its military dimension.
History
For many years New Zealanders had been reluctant to commemorate their military history and as a result plans for a national war museum had not eventuated.
The New Zealand Army had maintained small collections and displays at Dunedin, Burnham, Linton and Waiouru. In 1964, a small museum was established in the original Waiouru Homestead and it wasn't until thirteen years later that the Chief of General Staff, Major-General Ronald Hassett (a veteran of WWII and Korea) launched "Operation Heritage" to develop a National Army Museum.
The Museum was designed to function as a memorial; to acquire, preserve and display aspects of New Zealand's military history; and to serve as a research and teaching facility.
Events moved rapidly: the Army Memorial Museum Trust Board was incorporated in August 1977. Spearheaded by a well-publicised run across New Zealand by Major Albert Kiwi and his dog Freefall, fund-raising got underway. The builders soon followed and Army Engineers and voluntary labour braved a tough winter to complete the Sir Miles Warren designed fortress-like structure in just 276 days. The Governor General opened the 1300-square metre Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum on 15 October 1978.
Looming dramatically out of the tussock and 'guarded' by restored tanks and guns, the complex captured the attention of Desert Road travellers. The Museum also attracted interest for its unique displays which were the work of Gary Couchman — a Wellington designer, now residing in Australia — who set new standards for museum display throughout New Zealand.
Since 1978, the Museum has undergone further development. Stage II opened in July 1983, increasing work, storage and gallery space. Stage III (Kippenberger Pavilion) was finished in 1995 as was the memorial greenstone wall Tears on Greenstone — Roimata Pounamu which commemorates New Zealand's War Dead from the three Armed services and the Merchant Marine.
The National Army Museum is now planning further development (Stage IV) which will consist of a large Display Hall that will enable the Museum to exhibit over fifty military wheeled and tracked vehicles and the large artillery pieces that are currently held in storage.
Structure
The National Army Museum is a Registered Charitable Trust. Most civilian staff are employed by Defence (Army) with the exception of the commercial activites and education assistance staff. The National Army Museum also has a number of volunteers which it calls on from time to time.
Soldier, colonel, survivor, director
The National Army Museum's Director, Colonel (Retired) Ray Seymour, comes to the Musem with 45 years of Army experience after joining the force as a Regular Force Cadet in 1963.
During his long career the Colonel has served in numerous countries, including two tours of duty in Vietnam, as well as one in East Timor, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The different aspects of his extensive service can be seen in his medal group, which consists of an Order of the British Empire Medal, An Operation Service Medal, The Vietnam Medal, The New Zealand General Service Medal (Warlike), The East Timor Medal, New Zealand Armed Forces Award, The Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal and the South Vietnamese Campaign Medal.
The Armed Forces Medal is awarded to regular officers who have completed 15 years service in the New Zealand Armed Forces. Colonel Ray Seymour has a bar across his particular one which indicates he has been awarded it twice, and has served 30 years. He is due to be awarded his third to recognise 45 years with the Armed Forces. It is very rare to receive this medal twice let alone three times.
During 1992-1995, the Colonel served as a Defensive Advisor to Malaysia and in 1999-2000 he was a Defensive Attache to Indonesia. He also served as the Commander in the Army Training Group here in Waiouru from 1995-1996. His long career also includes being Director of Infantry and SAS. During his tours of Vietnam, the Colonel served as an Infantry Section Commander.
During his second tour, Ray Seymour earned the name, "The Magnetic Man" which has stuck with him even 40 years later. He was part of a team who were clearing a minefield when a huge explosion blew him ten metres back from where he originally stood. The force from the explosion stripped the clothes from his body and removed the shoes from his feet. He lay naked with at least 308 pieces of metal embedded in his body as the result of a Claymore mine exploding. The Claymore mine was designed to explode above ground and fire a cluster of small ball bearings out in a 60 degree arc of fire. An example of a Claymore mine can be found on display at the Army Museum.
Colonel Ray Seymour's Vietnam experience and adventures that followed, feature in a book in the Museum Gift Shop called Voices from Vietnam.
Colonel Ray Seymour was employed in March 2007 as the Director of the National Army Museum and is in his second year as Director.
The trust board
The Trust Board is chaired by the Chief of Army (CA) Major General Rhys Jones and has overall responsibility for the Army Museum and its activities. It has delegated responsibility for short term planning and operation to the Executive Management Committee (EMC) chaired by the Executive Trustee, currently Lt Gen (Rtd) Don McIver. The day to day operation of the Army Museum is the responsibility of the Director, currently Col (Rtd) Ray Seymour.
Trust board members
Maj Gen Rhys Jones
AVM (Rtd) Robin Klitscher CBE DFC AFC
Lt Col (Rtd) Leith Comer
Brig Tim Keating
Lt Gen (Rtd) D.McIver CMG OBE
Mr John McKinnon
Brig (Rtd) R.Ottaway MBE
Secretary: Maj M. Crow
Executive Management Committee
Lt Gen (Rtd) Don McIver CMG, OBE – Executive Trustee
Col Roger McElwain
Brig Tim Keating
Col (Rtd) David Moloney OBE
Col (Rtd) Terry McBeth
Mr Denis McLean CMG
Mr John Morrison ONZM
Brig (Rtd) Rick Ottaway OBE
Col (Rtd) Raymond Seymour MBE, JP
Secretary: Executive Officer, National Army Museum
National Army Museum - a New Zealand museum showcasing our nation's military history.
Corner State Highway One
and Hassett Drive
Waiouru, New Zealand
Ph: +64 6 387 6911
Fax: +64 6 387 6319
