Taranaki - Museums of Almost Everything

Discover the stories of Taranaki through one of its many museums

Tawhiti Museum up close

From volcanic inception to pioneering innovation, by way of war and passive resistance, the vibrant and vivid history of Taranaki is best explored through the region’s many museums.

The region offers many museums at which to discover many stories about Taranaki, from South Taranaki where there is the stunning Tawhiti Museum, and its impressive Traders & Whalers underground boat ride, to New Plymouth’s waterfront Puke Ariki, Aotea Utanganui in Pātea, and Stratford’s Pioneer Village.

The New Plymouth Guided Historic Walk is a fabulous walking tour that brings yesteryear to life with stories of the city’s pioneering past and the colourful characters. Learn about pistol duels at dawn on the now main street, strong independent pioneering women, Marsland Hill, sites of the New Zealand land wars, and St Mary’s Cathedral, the oldest stone church in New Zealand. Discover a range of private collections, spanning the interesting and eclectic, from the Hillsborough Holden Museum to Hāwera’s Elvis Presley Museum,Maketawa John Deere Tractor Museum to Inglewood’s Fun Ho! National Toy Museum.

Top Museums in Taranaki

Puke Ariki

PUKE ARIKI

HILLSBOROUGH HOLDEN CAR MUSEUM

FUN HO! TOY MUSEUMPIONEER VILLAGE

TAWHITI MUSEUM AND WHALERS & TRADERS

AOTEA UTANGANUI

MAKETAWA JOHN DEERE TRACTOR MUSEUM

Download the full guide from taranaki.co.nz/visit or pick up a free copy from a Taranaki i-SITE.