Our visit as a school information is designed to assist teachers with booking their visit.
Pandora Gallery
Recommended for all ages
Visitors to the Pandora Gallery will be captivated by the story of HMS Pandora, the ill-fated ship which was sent to capture the Bounty and her mutinous crew.
HMS Pandora was the British Royal Navy warship dispatched to the South Pacific in pursuit of the infamous Bounty mutineers. Today, the mutiny on the Bounty remains one of the best-known stories in the history of seafaring.
Few, however, are aware of the epic story of the Pandora and the extraordinary efforts of the Royal Navy to recover the “pirated” Bounty, and bring the mutineers to justice. Today Pandora remains as one of the most significant shipwrecks in the Southern Hemisphere.
Visitors will be captivated by the story of the ill-fated Pandora. In this exhibition we present an overview of Pandora's voyage, its history and the museum's ongoing conservation, interpretation and research.
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Things to see and do:
- See the locks believed to have shackled the mutineers - on display for the first time.
- View the ship's pintle - the artefact that identified the shipwreck as HMS Pandora to maritime archaeologists.
- See incredible Polynesian artefacts, and learn about the interactions and exchanges between the Pandora crew and Islanders from Polynesia and Tonga.
- Learn how, through careful analysis, artefacts excavated from the wreck are able to be linked to particular individuals on board the ship.
- See rare and exquisitely conserved objects restored to their former glory, such as the fireplace from the Captain’s cabin and the fob watch owned by Pandora’s surgeon Dr George Hamilton.
Kids will also love the interactive exhibit Your Shipwreck Adventure, found inside the Pandora Gallery.
Visit our Museum Shop online and in store for Pandora books and souvenirs.
Discover the epic story of HMS Pandora at Museum of Tropical Queensland
Discover more
HMS Pandora
Explore the shipwreck of the HMS Pandora, one of the most significant shipwrecks in the Southern Hemisphere, lying just off the Queensland coast.
Shipwrecks of Queensland
Discover the stories of Queensland's shipwrecks investigated by Queensland Museum.
Maritime
Explore our extensive Queensland maritime archaeology collection and discover past seafarers who have travelled our coastline.
Plan your visit
Plan your visit to Queensland Museum Tropics in Townsville.
How to get here & parking
Find out parking information and get directions to Queensland Museum Tropics by foot, car and bus.
Accessibility
Accessibility and sensory information to help you plan your visit to Queensland Museum Tropics.
What's on
View our calendar of exhibitions, events, activities and school programs.
Your shipwreck adventure
Explore the marine life and history of a shipwreck through a purpose-built interactive exhibition for young children.
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