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.
What’s Happening at the Museum
Exhibitions
Retrospective – Phyllis Underdown
Opening: 15/02/19 5:30 pm
In 2009 Phyllis Underdown was recognised as a Life Member of the Tairāwhiti Museum for her significant contribution to the arts in Gisborne as an artist, teacher and advocate. Artist statement: I have enjoyed drawing and painting since my childhood in Wellington, but this exhibition is of works that I have completed since my arrival... Read more »
He Tirohanga ki Tai: Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery
Opening: 07/12/18 5:30 pm
He Tirohanga ki Tai: Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery is an art exhibition and public forum that addresses the historical fallacy of the European ‘discovery’ of Aotearoa New Zealand. As the title suggests, he tirohanga ki tai (a view from the shore), the exhibition provides an indigenous perspective looking out from our place in the... Read more »
Out of the Bedroom into the Lounge
Opening: 30/11/18 5:30 pm
New Zealand artist Jan Nigro (b. 1920, d. 2012) was born in Gisborne and attended Manutūkē School before moving to Napier 1930. This significant retrospective exhibition has been distilled from her life’s work held by the Jan Nigro Trust. The works illustrate a strong female contribution to the trajectory of contemporary New Zealand art history... 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 »
Ambitious Gisborne Women
Opening: 09/11/18 5:30 pm
Public talk by Jean Johnston: 19/09/18 5:30 pm
On 19 September 1893 New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world in which women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections.This exhibition tells the local story – demonstrating how well Gisborne women mobilised to go to the polls for the first time on 28 November 1893. The sheets of names of... 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 »
Events
Charlotte Museum Trust pop-up exhibition, films and play
Charlotte Museum Trust comes to Gisborne Displays, a quilt, cartoons, herstory, badges. Two short films—Our Stories, & Lesbian Music Made Community, a performance: “I AM” and songs This exhibition will be in the Winifred Lysnar Education Discovery Centre at Tairāwhiti Museum, 10 Stout Street All welcome, free entry www.charlottemuseum.lesbian.net.nz
‘The Road to Tūranga: Leo Fowler’s Gisborne Years’ book launch
Gerald Barnett’s new book about legendary broadcaster Leo Fowler brings Gisborne’s 20th Century cultural history to life. Nau mai, haere mai Join us at Tairāwhiti Museum for the launch of ‘The Road to Tūranga: Leo Fowler’s Gisborne Years’ by Gerald Barnett. We are particularly proud to publish Leo’s story because he was the museum’s... Read more »
Exhibition opening: Phyllis Underdown retrospective
Join us at the museum for the opening of a new solo exhibition by Gisborne artist Phyllis Underdown
Christmas music in the gallery
Enjoy some Christmas music with your art! We have musicians playing in the gallery from 11.30am – 12pm on the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th December. Our musicians are guests of Professor Jack Richards – Lixin Zhang (piano), Long Nguyen (Bassoon) and Olliver Shermauker Clarinet).
Christmas music in the gallery
Enjoy some Christmas music with your art! We have musicians playing in the gallery from 11.30am – 12pm on the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th December. Our musicians are guests of Professor Jack Richards – Lixin Zhang (piano), Long Nguyen (Bassoon) and Olliver Shermauker Clarinet).
Christmas music in the gallery
Enjoy some Christmas music with your art! We have musicians playing in the gallery from 11.30am – 12pm on the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th December. Our musicians are guests of Professor Jack Richards – Lixin Zhang (piano), Long Nguyen (Bassoon) and Olliver Shermauker Clarinet).
Christmas music in the gallery
Enjoy some Christmas music with your art! We have musicians playing in the gallery from 11.30am – 12pm on the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th December. Our musicians are guests of Professor Jack Richards – Lixin Zhang (piano), Long Nguyen (Bassoon) and Olliver Shermauker Clarinet).
Hawaiiki Hou exhibition opening
All welcome for the opening of Hawaiiki Hou – Toihoukura’s annual exhibition at Tairāwhiti Museum 2018 marks the 25th year of Toihoukura – School of Māori Arts and Design at the Eastern Institute of Technology, and consists of recent works by students and Toihoukura staff from this academic year. This exhibition also coincides with... Read more »
He Tirohanga ki Tai: Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery exhibition opening
He Tirohanga ki Tai: Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery is an art exhibition and public forum that addresses the historical fallacy of the European ‘discovery’ of Aotearoa New Zealand. As the title suggests, he tirohanga ki tai (a view from the shore), the exhibition provides an indigenous perspective looking out from our place in the... Read more »
Out of the Bedroom into the Lounge – Jan Nigro, exhibition opening
All welcome at the opening of Out of the Bedroom, into the Lounge by Jan Nigro
