• Architect appointed for restoration and development of Rotorua Museum

    Thursday, 27 September 2018

      DPA Architects, with previous experience refurbishing Rotorua Museum, has been appointed to carry out the design work for the restoration of the heritage Bath House building, with help from local firm, Carling Architects. Rotorua Lakes Council’s Arts and Culture manager, Stewart Brown, says restoration work is due to get…

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  • Plate with image of White Terrace Eruption, date unknown, maker unknown, Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa (2011.63.3)

    Souvenir ware plate ‘Eruption of the White Terrace’

    Wednesday, 11 July 2018

    The Rotorua Museum has what we think is the biggest collection of souvenir ware in museums in New Zealand. Most of the pieces were made in the 1900s and have scenes like the Bath House, Sanatorium, Prince’s Gate, Ohinemutu, or Whakarewarewa. This plate is unusual in that is shows an…

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  • Centennial Trust presents $200k towards Museum strengthening

    Wednesday, 4 July 2018

    Rotorua Museum Centennial Trust presented $200,000 to Rotorua Lakes Council towards the seismic strengthening of Rotorua Museum. The contribution was presented to the Council during last week’s (Thursday 28 June) Full Council meeting by Rotorua Museum Centennial Trust Chairman, Lyall Thurston. He says the decision to make the donation was…

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  • The mummified cat from Tarawera eruption, found at Wairoa 1901 by C. Crowther, Rotorua

    The mystery of the Tarawera cats

    Friday, 8 June 2018

    Many people will remember the dried remains of a cat which had been displayed in Rotorua Museum in recent years. In fact it has been described as one of the museum’s most popular exhibits. Here is the story of the three Tarawera cats that were included in the Tarawera eruption…

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  • Crowds gather at Fred Wylie Memorial Carnival Day in February 1904

    Fred Wylie and his rifle

    Thursday, 24 May 2018

    Most Rotorua residents will be familiar with the memorial in Government Gardens to soldier Fred W. Wylie but they might not know his story or why he was honoured with a memorial. The 26th of May marks the anniversary of his death. Frederick William Wylie was living in Galatea (76…

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  • Catch up with the Curator: Margaret Aull, Taonga Gallery and Tuku Iho Collection Curator

    Monday, 12 March 2018

    We’re excited to kick off the first Catch up with the Curator blog for 2018. This week Rotorua Museum’s Lead Exhibitions Curator, Ane Tonga, caught up with esteemed artist and curator Margaret Aull (Te Rarawa, Tūwharetoa, Fiji). Margaret is an established artist who has exhibited her artwork nationally and internationally,…

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  • QUIZ: Te Tiriti o Waitangi

    Wednesday, 31 January 2018

    Waitangi Day is the day commemorates the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – our nation’s founding document. It provides the guiding principles for our nation, it is both celebrated and debated over, and while it comes with a fraught past it also offers clarity for the future. Test your…

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  • Meet the Rotorua Museum Team – Collections

    Tuesday, 9 January 2018

    Over the next few months we will use the blog to introduce you to some of the people behind the scenes at Rotorua Museum. This week we will focus on the people who look after the precious taonga in our collection and learn about what makes them passionate about their…

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  • Exploring Rotorua’s history of Santa Parades

    Wednesday, 29 November 2017

    It’s carnival time. Love them or hate them, Santa Parades have been part of New Zealand’s history since the early 1900s. Right from the start they have been a commercial venture supported by the large department stores that would promote the arrival of their in-store Santa. Father Christmas made his…

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  • The Fenton Agreement 1880-2030

    Friday, 24 November 2017

    1980 was a busy year for the City of Rotorua. It was the year that the city chose to celebrate its founding on 25 November 1880. The year-long centennial celebration kicked off in style in November 1979 when the Morrison Quartet briefly reunited for a special concert at the Rotorua…

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