Te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu Museum

Te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu Museum

Hours of operation

10am-4pm, Mon-Fri and 10am-2pm, Sat. Closed Sun. Open Public Holidays except Christmas and New Year. Closed 19 Dec 2025 and reopening at 10am Monday 5 January 2026.

Months of operation

All Year

Phone number

A doorway to Waipā’s past is open once again. Step inside and uncover the stories, taonga, and memories that have shaped our Waipā District. Our museum on Roche Street has reopened with a stunning new look and inspiring spaces to explore.

Te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu Museum is situated in Waipā district, within Waikato. A touchpoint for visitors to learn local history, social development and bi-cultural collaborations between Māori and settlers from 1823, through amazing objects and engaging stories. Understand the reasons why British soldiers invaded the Waikato 1863, the locations, who was involved, and its impact on the Waipā communities that are still being felt today. Do you know about Te Ara Wai Journeys? Start your journey with us. We also have our collections online.

Pricing

Free

Proximity to Airport:

25 min drive to Hamilton Airport.

Proximity to Town:

5 min walk to Te Awamutu main township.

Proximity To Coach Terminal:

20 min walk from bus terminal in Te Awamutu.

Activity Duration:

Open Mon - Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm. Closed Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Parking:

Bus parking if needed, free Museum carparks located at back of building, bike parking onsite.

Bus parking if needed, free carparks located across the road.

Hamilton Gardens

Hamilton Gardens

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. 

Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery

Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery

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.

Rotor Work

Waikato Helicopter Tours

The Waikato offers a mixture of picturesque coastlines and stunning farmlands. Experience the magnificent feeling of flying over some of New Zealand’s best scenery, whether it’s the breathtaking coastlines, including the surf famous black sandy beaches of Raglan, the untouched beauty of the rugged west coast, or flying above the Waikato river trails. Take a ride with our experienced helicopter pilot, Sam. He has close to 2,500 hours of flying of highly skilful agricultural and commercial operations. The HQ Rotor Work base in Kihikihi currently operates an AS350, a stable, high performance helicopter with comfortable seating for 5 passengers.

Inflatable World Hamilton

Inflatable World Hamilton

It’s all about having fun, so bring the whole family and bounce on in to Inflatable World. It’s not just for the kids – we encourage the parents to have fun with their children. We have 11 Inflatables for participants to play on! You can play on the inflatable activities as many times as you like (with socks) during the three hour session and our supervisors are there to make sure everyone is safe and gets a fair go.

Meghan Maloney

New Zealand Photography Tours with Meghan Maloney

I help people experience the real New Zealand, not the one you find just by visiting the usual tourist spots. My vast travel experience means I know the best photography locations and I'm passionate about showing off our beautiful country, helping my guests to capture their own amazing images of our beautiful country while learning new photography skills along the way. My guided photography tours are available throughout New Zealand and can be personalised to your itinerary and the locations you wish to visit. Or you can choose to attend one of my scheduled weekend group workshops where you'll enjoy meeting other photographers and improving your photography craft at some of New Zealand's most unique and photogenic locations.

Stock

Flight Experience

Friends and Family Flight Experience is a flight in a four seat aircraft you will have a qualified flight instructor and up to two passengers can be there to share the experience. During the flight you can take control, The flight is 20 minutes long and is over hamilton City.

All things to do

This website helps visitors connect with providers of great tourism experiences. It is not intended to give any assurance that any particular provider complies with its safety obligations. Users should seek more information from the provider concerned. While Hamilton & Waikato Tourism will do its utmost to ensure the information contained within this website is accurate, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, offers or details of any information or operator listings. Prices, timetables and other details or terms of business may change without notice. The information included in this website is not advice and does not imply any endorsement by Hamilton & Waikato Tourism.