Kaniwhaniwha Caves Walk

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.

Raglan Boat Charters is located at the Raglan Wharf on Whaingaroa Harbour, the West Coast of New Zealand's North Island, 40 kms from Hamilton and approx 150kms from Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua. About our Cruises: Departing Raglan Wharf aboard the Wahinemoe to explore the charm of Whaingaroa Harbour – cruise past large conservation reserves, farmland and fishing villages. You will see marine wildlife and ancient limestone rock formations, and listen to fascinating tales about the history and culture of this very special area. Your friendly skipper and crew will take great care of you and make sure you have a magical experience. The sunset cruise is the best and its extremely rare on the west coast to find such an excellent viewpoint.

This permanent exhibition features images and costumes from the film ‘Ka Whawhai Tonu’ – ‘Struggle without end’ directed by Michael Jonathan. Come in and visit the exhibit and immerse yourself in the local history of this story today. Please note the film has an M rating, hence parental supervision is recommended when viewing this exhibition with young children.

Kick things off in our glass room, where you’ll smash bottles using a baseball bat, crowbar, or hammer, soaking in the sound and explosiveness of shattering glass. From there, you’ll pick out your smash items before heading into the heavy hitting room for 20 minutes of all-out destruction using sledgehammers and crowbars. This is a fully supervised, high-energy session, with all safety gear provided - all you need to do is swing. What’s included: 20 smash credits, glass smashing with multiple tools, 20 minutes in the heavy hitting room, full safety briefing and supervision.

Carve your own traditional Māori pendant - the hei tiki. This workshop is designed for intermediate-level carvers in mind, but lower level carvers are also welcome. This workshop will take a minimum of 2 consecutive days to complete. 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 tiki. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a fully completed and bound hei tiki to take home.

Carve your own traditional Māori pendant - the kōuma: a breastplate. This workshop is designed for entry-level carvers with next to no carving experience, and will take up to 4 - 6 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 kōuma. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a fully completed and bound kōuma to take home.