Auckland residents will have free admission to the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum from Monday.

Museum trust board chairman Alastair Aitken said the decision to allow free entry was made after free admission trials over the past year greatly increased visitors.

He said he hoped free entry would make the museum more accessible and encourage Aucklanders to discover how the city's rich maritime heritage had contributed to the development of the region.

"Voyager is a vitally important cultural institution and with the coming changes in Auckland's governance, we felt that this was an opportune time to deliver something positive to a united Auckland."

Voyager chief executive Paul Evans said it had been incredibly heartening to see the demographic mix of visitors change dramatically during the free entry periods.

"We are attracting new people to Voyager and they are passionately embracing our nation's maritime heritage as shown in our new exhibitions like Blue Water Black Magic, - A Tribute to Sir Peter Blake and the redeveloped Edmiston Gallery of Maritime Art."

Entry is free for residents of the Auckland region with proof of address.

Free entry is for the core museum gallery experience only and does not include heritage sailings, education programmes or group bookings.

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