Tairāwhiti Museum is the major public institution for arts, culture and heritage activities for the Tairāwhiti region.

Our mission is to be a waharoa (gateway) and resource for our communities and to stimulate appreciation, understanding, enjoyment, and involvement in the arts, culture and heritage of Tairāwhiti.

Our primary activities include:

• Delivering exhibitions, education programmes and events
• Developing and providing care and access to Tairāwhiti’s arts and heritage collections.
• Providing research services and supporting scholarship and research about the Tairāwhiti region.

Our vision is to make Tairawhiti a better place to live and to visit by contributing to the development of positive community identity, advancing community well-being and contributing to a sustainable local economy.  Our activities extend beyond the walls of the museum across our region from Wairoa to Hicks Bay.

We aim to exercise leadership in our sector, to innovate, and to become an integral part of the community through building strong and enduring relationships with community groups and supporting and collaborating with each other in the pursuit of shared aims.

Tairāwhiti Museum’s operational costs are met through contracts for services with Gisborne District Council and the Ministry of Education, grants, sponsorship and a range of self-generated income activities.