Firearm safety in museums

It is important for firearms in museum collections to be catalogued, stored, handled and displayed in a way that ensures the safety of visitors, kaimahi, and volunteers. Whether you’re a small museum with volunteer staff or a larger museum, there are several ways to meet the legal requirements as outlined by the Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand.

Obtaining a Museum Licence

If your collection contains firearms, ammunition and parts, (except for those exempt under Arms Act 2026), then the museum must hold a Museum License.

A Museum License authorises the museum to possess, display and store firearms, ammunition and parts. The Museum License is held by a curator or a senior manager. Museum License holders must have a Firearms License. Museum License holders require endorsements and permits for purposes of possession, storage and display of any pistol, restricted firearms, restricted weapon or pistol carbine conversion kit in the museum collection.

Those who held a Dealer’s licence to be a museum curator/manager before 23 September 2026, will be treated as a Museum Licence holder from that date.

Museum staff and volunteers who work with arms items must hold either a Museum Worker License or a Firearm License. The Museum Worker License does not require a Firearm License but it is strictly limited to undertaking museum activities only. Museum Workers do not need an endorsement on their worker licence to handle endorsed items.

Requirements for Museum and Museum worker license are available through the Firearms Regulator, Firearms Safety and Education (FSE).

Find out more about museum licencing on the FSE website

Collecting and Disposing of Firearms

The Museum License holder may undertake activities like importing, acquiring, lending and deaccession/disposal with the correct endorsements and permits, and following all regulations. Museums cannot collect firearms that are for surrender and delivery to NZ Police.

Transporting Firearms

Firearms, ammunition and parts can be transported between licensed museums or to correctly licensed individuals by the Museum License holder, courier company or through Business License holders. Museum Worker License holders cannot transport firearms between locations unless their license is granted with a specific condition to do so.

Firearms and ammunition must be transported securely and safely on aircraft, ferries or in a vehicle. FSE advice includes guidance on transporting firearms.

Create a Policy to Manage Collections of Firearms, Ammunition and Parts

The Arms Act 2026 enables museums with qualified license holders to collect, preserve and display collections of firearms, ammunition and parts. As License Holders are held responsible for offences under the Act, museums need to ensure that arms items are managed and accessed appropriately.

A written policy that defines all access and activities relating to arms collections, and the authority of license holders within the policy, will:

Prevent unauthorised activities and access
Lower the risk of committing an offense
Sustain ‘licensed museum’ status
Keep staff and public safe

Museums should also consider whether permanently deactivated firearms, Antique Firearms and other exempt arms will be managed under the same policy as non-exempt arms items.

The Act expects that Antique Firearms and other exempt items will be cared for and accessed in a responsible and safe manner. Under the Arms Act 2026, Antique firearms can be uplifted by the firearm regulator (FSE) if an unlicensed individual is considered not ‘fit and proper’ to hold these items.

Recording of firearms information for the purpose of obtaining a Firearms Dealer Licence

This is the minimum amount of information to be kept in your collection management system:

Accession No
Acquisition Date
Acquisition Source and their Firearm License No. (if any)
Acquisition Source Address

Important information (if any)
Firearm Type
Firearm Category
Primary Maker name only
Firearm Model
Firearm Action Type
Firearm Calibre
Firearm Serial Number
Name Title

Mounting a Mauser Firearm. Photo Callum Strong, Te Papa

Storage of firearms

Firearms, ammunition and parts must be kept safe from inappropriate access and meet compliance requirements under the Arms Act 2026. Consult your local arms officer at FSE for advice on what is best for your museum’s firearms collection.

Ensure firearms are rendered inoperable by removing ammunition, bolts and firing pins, store these components securely and separately from the firearms themselves. Consider a safe in another room or building as the best option.

Consider creating a strong room or armoury to store firearms.

Read through FSE Secure Storage Guidelines when setting up a secure facility.

Numbering firearms

All firearms, and parts must have a permanent identification marking. These markings may be original in the form of a manufacturer’s serial number, or a new serial number that is created by the museum (which may or may not be the accession number). Permanently deactivated arms items must have an additional identification marking reflecting this status.

The firearm regulator (FSE) provides guidance around markings on arms items and parts especially for marking historical items. Gunsmiths can apply permanent identification markings but a self-applied serial number using a professional diamond tip or vibrating mechanical engraver is possibly more cost-efficient and convenient.

To label a firearm with an accession number choose a flat, discrete area that will not be visible when the firearm is on display. Often the barrel, the butt plate or the bottom of the trigger guard is good. Apply a strip of B72, let it dry. Apply the accession number using acid free ink, let it dry. Apply a topcoat of B67 and let dry before returning to storage.

To enable identification numbers to be visible without having to remove the firearm from its rack or nest, create a paper label which clearly has on it the accession number, title and serial number. Attach this with cotton or cotton tape to the trigger guard or other loop or ring on the firearm.

Registering Firearms

Museum License holders must register non-exempt firearms, ammunition and parts in their possession by 24 June 2029 (previously 2028). This includes serial numbers, make/model, calibre.
Museum License holders must register all transactions of firearm, ammunition and parts within 30 days of transaction using a Business transaction report entry

FSE provides firearms registration requirements on their website.

Displaying firearms

Picture of firearms on display in an exhibition setting

Managers or curators of museums must ensure that an arms item or ammunition on display is not able to be handled by members of the public, firearms are rendered inoperable and adequately secured in a manner.

All firearms on display must be rendered inoperable
All firearms on display should be secured, e.g. in a locked display cabinet, custom mount and/or an alarmed case to prevent unauthorized handling or theft.
Visitors must not be able to touch or handle firearms.
It is desirable that extra layers of security are added, such as vibration alarms, CCTV and visible staff.

Firearms Safety and Education has produced a guide for museums on displaying firearms to help staff meet their obligations.