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Wyllie Cottage heritage restoration
Tairāwhiti Museum and Gisborne District Council have just begun the first phase of an exciting new project for Gisborne, the heritage restoration of Wyllie Cottage. Wyllie Cottage, built in 1872, was the first European building on the Taruheru side of the river. The cottage is named for its first owners Kate (née Halbert) and James Ralston... Read more »
Caring for Wyllie Cottage collections
I’m Megan, Collection Technician at Tairāwhiti Museum. I am responsible for processing all objects currently housed in Wyllie Cottage before the heritage restoration begins. With approximately two hundred and fifty objects made from materials as diverse as silk, wood, leather, iron and paper, from the size of a fountain pen to a double bed, and... Read more »
Kate Wyllie’s Māori New Testament
The history and conservation of a 6th edition Māori New Testament held in the Tairāwhiti Museum collection.
de-shingling Wyllie Cottage
The second phase of work on Wyllie Cottage has now begun. Tairāwhiti Museum staff completed the removal of all the objects from the cottage earlier this month, and the building has now been handed over to project contractors Bothwell Construction, to begin work on the restoration of the cottage proper. Spending much more time than... Read more »
A glimpse inside
An important part of undertaking a heritage conservation project – in addition to a comprehensive study of the physical building – is compiling as much photographic and archive evidence as possible to piece together the building’s history and help inform decision making. Since the Wyllie Cottage project got underway last year we’ve been poring through... Read more »
Cottage Congoleum considered
The removal of collection items from Wyllie Cottage has been completed, and work on the restoration of the building is now well underway. A total of 316 museum collection items including 35 large domestic items, framed works, and smaller items consisting of soft furnishings (textiles), clothing, ceramics, glassware, books, small framed works, children’s toys and... Read more »
Appealing objects – decorative arts at Tairāwhiti Museum
New to the Jack C Richards Decorative Arts Gallery: Chinese-style glass vessels by Alexander Lamont Workshops (Thailand); Japanese-influenced ceramics by New Zealand potter Aaron Scythe; decorative paintings by British/New Zealand artist Melanie Mills and three, early twentieth-century Japanese wedding robes.
Tracing the inhabitants of Wyllie Cottage
While the cottage is closed for renovation we have been researching the inhabitants, and have been surprised by the number of people who have lived there, albeit briefly. As is always the way though, our research has raised as many questions as answers, and we are hoping that some of the names in this blog... Read more »
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Wyllie Cottage heritage restoration
Tairāwhiti Museum and Gisborne District Council have just begun the first phase of an exciting new project for Gisborne, the heritage restoration of Wyllie Cottage. Wyllie Cottage, built in 1872, was the first European building on the Taruheru side of the river. The cottage is named for its first owners Kate (née Halbert) and James Ralston... Read more »
Caring for Wyllie Cottage collections
I’m Megan, Collection Technician at Tairāwhiti Museum. I am responsible for processing all objects currently housed in Wyllie Cottage before the heritage restoration begins. With approximately two hundred and fifty objects made from materials as diverse as silk, wood, leather, iron and paper, from the size of a fountain pen to a double bed, and... Read more »
Kate Wyllie’s Māori New Testament
The history and conservation of a 6th edition Māori New Testament held in the Tairāwhiti Museum collection.
What’s Happening at the Museum
Family Affair – The Next Generation Gary Underdown, Colin Underdown, Holly Aymes
Opening: 04/09/26 5:30 pm
It was last century in September 1994 when we, Phyllis, Gary and Colin had our last joint family exhibition – Underdown Trio. This latest exhibition introduces the next generation with Colin’s daughter Holly we have pooled our creative efforts to pay homage to the legacy of our mother, grandmother and artist, Phyllis Underdown. We have... Read more »
Gisborne Artists, Potters and Photographers’ Annual exhibition. Lysnar House Studios 50th anniversary
Opening: 28/08/26 5:30 pm
Every year the collective of the Gisborne Artists, Potters and Photographers Societies unmasks an abundance of fresh work. This year the annual exhibition featuring the various art groups will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lysnar House Studios. This iconic centre point is well known for artists coming together, attending committee meetings, group activities, workshops, and... Read more »
Floating Images – Susan Holmes
Opening: 25/07/26 10:00 am
About ten years ago when I was travelling in Tasmania with a group of textile artists, I was lucky enough to be given a gossamer-light bundle of exquisite flax paper that had been hand-made in a Mark Lander workshop. At the time I had no idea what I could do with it and stashed it... Read more »
Kāhui Tara – Ngaire Tuhua
Opening: 17/07/26 5:30 pm
Through my experiences of becoming, these works held a space suspended in time where I could retreat, dream, contemplate, and learn. Kāhui Tara is a visual articulation of whakaaro formed through the imagining of Takapau: a style of peha design created uniquely and exclusively for wahine. This exhibition serves as a doorway into its existence,... Read more »
Te Pou o Hinematioro – He Ihu tō mai nō te Pō
Opening: 09/07/26 10:00 am
This exhibition celebrates the return to Te Aitanga a Hauiti of the Pou o Hinematioro. The pou left Ūawa in 1769 on board the Endeavour, and after many years in private collections, became part of the Ethnological Collection of the University of Tübingen. The pou was exhibited in 1977, but it was not until 1996... Read more »
New Old
Opening: 08/09/25 10:00 am
Every month the museum receives generous offers of material to be added to it’s collections. New Old is a cross section of some of the historic photographs the museum has had donated over the last five years. We have made a selection to show the broad variety of images that have extended our already diverse... Read more »
There are no upcoming events at this time.
We welcome ideas for new projects and exhibitions so if you have something in mind, please get in touch – we would love to hear from you!
