Museums in Golden Bay
Golden Bay Museum
While in Takaka make sure you visit the Museum and adjacent Gallery, located in the shopping centre.
You'll be quickly drawn to the beautifully crafted diorama depicting Abel Tasman's 1642 encounter with local Maori. An educational book detailing this encounter is available for sale at the museum. Wander around displays on Maori and European history of this region. You'll be surprised at the range of material in these and other regular changing displays.
The archive area houses a comprehensive range of reference material and photographs for those researching local and family history. There's a very reasonable charge for the archivist's services.
The next main exhibition at the museum will open labour Weekend and run through until Easter.
The Gallery next door features a wonderful range of New Zealand art and craft. Don't miss it .... and don't forget to admire the superb matai floor!
Adjacent to the museum is the tiny but appealing Pioneer Park. With shaded seats, pergola, open lawn space and pleasant trees, it's the perfect place for a five-minute rest.
Collingwood Museum and Aorere Centre
As befits a town of this age, there is a small museum in the main street. It was established in 1969 in the former 1910 council office building, and fittingly displays a Category 2 Historic Places Trust plaque.
Recently renovated display rooms feature aspects of the early development of the district - home and school, gold, coal, timber and farming, military, horse
gear, mineral and adze collections, plus other memorabilia, including a 'through-the-years' photographic display.
For family and local historical research enquiries, and to deposit photos, family histories and heritage items with our museum collections, contact Collingwood Museum Society, Inc, phone 03 524 8131.
Admission is by donation. Open daily
Aorere Centre is alongside the Museum. This heritage facility uses multi-media to present local history from early Maori to European settlement to more recent times. Discover tales of gold, sea, pirates and the tragic legacy of fires that has seen Collingwood rebuilt time and again. Special features are the works of Fred Tyree, (pioneer photographer) and the Historic Map of Western Golden Bay - Mohua by well-known local artist Kathy Reilly.
Golden Bay Machinery and Settlers Museum
Appropriately sited in the old Collingwood Cheese Factory (at Rockville) is this interesting museum featuring all manner of early tractors, farm machinery and implements, vehicles, horse gear and a wide range of settlers' items.
A working steam section with ‘Steam Up' days are held at Easter, Labour Weekend, Christmas/New Year. There is a pioneer kitchen with a wood and coal range where scones are baked and served on ‘Steam Up' days. Admission is by donation.