Rotorua Bath House – home of the Rotorua Museum
If you’re planning a trip to Rotorua and you’ve already done some of the big tourist attraction like Wai-O-Tapu or The Tamaki Maori Village, then we can definitely recommend a trip to the Rotorua Muesum. Housed in the iconic Rotorua Bath House, the Rotorua Museum is a great place for the whole family to visit and winter is definitely a great time to go and explore.
Discover Rotorua’s rich culture
Rotorua has a rich culture and dramatic history and nowhere is it better captured than the Rotorua Museum. As well as offering up some fantastic exhibitions, the Rotorua Museum can be explored from the basement to the ceiling and offers up stunning views of the city and the lake.
Visiting the museum
Kids enjoying the exhibitions at the Rotorua Museum. Image credit: David Hamilton Photography via Rotorua Museum
A visit to the Rotorua Museum is perfect for the whole family and there are lots of different exhibits, events and activities to get involved with. From the guided tours with the museum’s experience staff to the cinema experiences which bring Rotorua’s rich history to life, you’re guaranteed to find something to entertain, educate and inform you. A visit to the Bath House is well worth a trip anyway – the stunning building provides the perfect home for the Rotorua Museum and it is interesting to go and explore this historic building. The viewing platform at the top of the building is a great place to get a better idea of the surrounding area and get familiar with Rotorua.
Families
One of the best ways to discover Rotorua’s history and wealth of stories in on one of the museum’s fun discovery trails for all ages. Search for hidden objects, find out interesting facts and you you finish, you’ll also receive a special certificate. Another great thing to take the kids to is the Rotorua Stories Cinema where you can learn more and ‘experience’ the 1886 Mount Tarawera eruption.
Locals
The museum is not just a big attraction for tourists and visitors to Rotorua. Whether you have lived in Rotorua al your life or just moved to the area, the ever changing exhibition and art galleries at the Rotorua Museum mean that there is always something new to discover. The best news for locals is that entry to the museum is free for residents with a relevant ID.
Exhibitions
Te Arawa Waka Nga Pumanawa O Te Awrawa display at the Rotorua Museum. Image Credit: David Hamilton Photography via Rotorua Museum
The Rotorua Museum has a mixture of ‘Always on’ exhibit and ever changing displays that hep to keep the museum interesting all year round for visitors and locals alike. With a rich Maori history in the area, there are some fantastic exhibitions that will teach you more about the Maori tribes who lived in the area, where they came from and how they live their lives in modern day Rotorua. The Ngā Pūmanawa o Te Arawa (The Beating Hearts of Te Arawa) exhibit will teach you all about the Te Arawa Maori tribe and is ‘always on’ at the museum.
A popular exhibition that is currently on at the museum is the Sunlight Ihi Komaru interactive exhibition that teaches kids and adults the secrets of the sun in this very hands on exhibit.
Whatever you’re into, the museum is always worth a visit so make sure you check it out the next time you are in time.