What’s Happening at the Museum
Exhibitions
Tū te Whaihanga
Opening: 07/10/19 10:00 am
Tū te Whaihanga is a resurgence of the creative genius of the past, and carries the cultural aspirations of tangata whenua into the future. Sacred taonga that left the shores of Te Tairāwhiti 250 years ago will return home to be celebrated in the upcoming exhibition, Tū te Whaihanga. The homecoming will see these taonga stand... Read more »
Native Voices : Ko au, ko mātau – I am, we are
Opening: 06/10/19 4:00 pm
A visual art exhibition reinforcing an indigenous legacy, and challenging the impact of a ‘Nations’ Dual Heritage’, on our Māori futures. KE Design, in partnership with the Tairāwhiti Museum, presents a platform for indigenous dialogue through art, responding to and challenging the 250th Captain Cook commemorations. In NATIVE VOICES: Ko au, ko mātau – I... Read more »
The Lieutenant’s Calling Card and the Response of a Quizzical Eye From the fine arts collection
Opening: 13/09/19 10:00 am
“A picture is worth a thousand words” and the works featured in this exhibition speak volumes on the aftermath of October 1769, when HMS Endeavour under the captaincy of James Cook, made landfall on the East Coast of Aotearoa, New Zealand. The ship anchored off Tūranga and from there landing parties were dispatched to seek... Read more »
Posing, Not Posing
Opening: 26/11/18 10:00 am
Long before smartphones, selfie sticks and one-swipe filters, having your ‘perfect’ picture taken took practice, preparation and plenty of posing. Early cameras and photographic materials required the sitter to be still for many seconds. While this is often given as the reason for a lack of smiles, a more likely reason is that early portrait... Read more »
Wyllie Cottage
Wyllie Cottage
Wyllie Cottage is the oldest European house still standing in the Gisborne area and also a popular tourist attraction. It was restored and refurbished in 2016. You can find out more about this project on our blog. The cottage was built in the early days of the township of Gisborne for Keita (Kate) and James... Read more »
Watersheds | Ngā Wai Pupū
Watersheds | Ngā Wai Pupū is Tairāwhiti Museum’s semi-permanent exhibition which gives the visitor a snapshot of the history of the Gisborne/East Coast region. Our exhibition forms a river that flows through the history of Tairāwhiti. Beginning with Māori accounts of how the world began and where people came from, this river of history finishes in... Read more »
Events
Museum services for schools – check out the 2019 education programme booklet here!
Tairāwhiti Museum is a 5-minute walk from the CBD, across Peel Street Bridge and through Kelvin Park. There is free parking on Stout Street.
Opening Hours
- Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm
- Sunday and Public Holidays 1:30pm – 4:00pm
- Closed – Easter Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Admission
- Adults $5 (12 years and under and Friends of the Museum free entry)
- Free entry every day for local residents!
Exhibit Cafe
- Monday – Friday 8.30am to 2.00pm, Saturday 9.30am – 12.30pm, closed Sundays.
Exhibit Cafe will be closed for renovations from Wednesday 25th September to 6th October (inclusive).
Temporary gallery closures: Please note that the Jack C Richards Decorative Arts Gallery will be closed from 9 Sept – 7 Oct. All exhibition galleries, except Watersheds and Wyllie Cottage will be closed from 23 Sept – 7 Oct for exhibition installation. Museum entry will be FREE for all visitors during this time.
