Auckland's Maritime Museum

I had planned to take the ferry to Devonport today, but the hard rain discouraged me.  It's summer here, and the temperatures are warm, and the wind was gentle.  I have my umbrella and stout shoes, so I did not mind being out in it.
I began the day with some chores.  I bought some stamps, and I got more cash.  I walked around the waterfront waiting for the museum to open and got a couple of postcards, which I later wrote and mailed. I also attended the bus station as I will be moving on in a few days and wanted to be prepared to do it smoothly.
I am most interested in Maori Culture and History, and the Auckland Maritime Museum has an excellent exhibit of boats and canoes from around the Pacific as well as accounts of how the Maori found Aotearoa.  There was also a recounting of creation myths.  Evidently each Polynesian sub culture has its own story of how the trickster god Maui created the islands on which they live.
The rest of the museum was dedicated to the British and other settlers.  The accounts of the immigrants' motives and experience for making the long journey are fascinating.  I also marveled at the contrast between the third class cabin around 1880 and the much nicer (but still third class) cabin of the early 1950s.  I wonder if anyone, who is not in someone's navy, comes here by ship anymore.
There's a lot about fishing and yachting.  I got a kick out of the period rooms of a typical beach business and home.
At the navigation exhibit I ignored the machines to look upward at a representation of the night sky over New Zealand.  It looked so strange.  I asked the other person in the room if that was the Southern Sky because I did not recognize a single star!  We tried in vain to find the Southern Cross, but I am sure that no Big Dipper appeared.
After that I poked around some very nice touristy shops.  I have my eye on some items and anticipate building up a substantial credit card bill, but I don't get things for myself or others that can't be worn or used.  Maori arts and crafts are for sale, too, and they are beautiful and appealing, but expensive.
Very few people jay walk in Auckland.  I don't dare.  There are green pedestrian signs to walk that I observe.  On my first day here I saw people crossing intersections diagonally!  The sight horrified me as that is a huge no no in the United States.  But it's ok here and in fact--I confess--I did it today myself.