Somersal Bed & Breakfast / Wedding Venue

Haere mai! Welcome to Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery. Perched above the mighty Waikato River, this world-class museum and art gallery is the artistic and cultural heart of the Waikato. Visit us to experience visual stories and guided activities that bring our art, history, culture and science to life through an inspirational programme that aims to challenge and inspire you.

From ancient Egypt to a 21-century Concept Garden. Admission to the enclosed gardens requires a paid entry fee for visitors who live outside of Hamilton, with children under 16 years of age free. Unlike any botanical garden, our unique attraction is rated among the top 3 things to do in New Zealand and is in the top 1% of attractions globally on TripAdvisor. Discover the magic of Hamilton Gardens with one of our tours. Whether you're a first-time explorer or a returning visitor, this immersive journey unveils fascinating tales, discovering the cultural significance woven into every petal and pathway.  Or opt for an Audio Guide to enjoy a narrated journey through the ages and across the continents, exploring at your own pace. 

At the base of the Kaimai ranges, the stunning Wairere falls cascades from 155 metres above. Climb to the top with us for spectacular views as far as the eye can see across the Waikato. Appetite worked up, we head to Putaruru gourmet picnic lunch and a gentle walk along the banks of Te Waihou River leading to the Blue Springs with some of the clearest and purest water in New Zealand. A region renown for dairy farming and local produce, it's only natural that we visit a local cheese maker to sample some of the best cheeses in New Zealand. Our afternoon is rounded off in fine style with a visit to Vilagrads, a fifth generation winery to sample a selection of their award-winning wines and ports and enjoy the stunning courtyard and vines.

Carve your own traditional Māori pendant - the hei matau: a fishhook. This workshop is designed for entry-level carvers with next to no carving experience, and will take up to 7 - 8 hours. In this workshop, we will cover the cultural history of the form, the tools and skills necessary for stone-carving and will guide participants through the process of creating a pounamu hei matau. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a fully completed and bound hei matau to take home.

This workshop is designed for entry-level carvers with zero carving experience, and will take up to 2 - 3 hours. In this workshop, we will cover the basic skills necessary for stone-carving and will guide participants through the process of creating a basic traditional Māori pendant - the niho: a tooth. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a fully completed and bound greenstone niho to take home.

Floating is an effective way to help reduce stress, anxiety, pain and helps improve sleep and creativity. During your float the outside world is gone, and amazing things happen. It turns out that when you’re not fighting gravity or constantly taking in information your body has a lot of extra resources at its disposal. Your mind is free to mull things over without distraction, your brain waves slow down, and your body gets to rest, de-stress, and heal. We also offer a full range of massage services and our Float + Chocolate Massage package is BLISS!