Rotorua Museum

Construction on a new wing, based on the original vision of balneologist Arthur Stanley Wohlmann, has been carried out over the past six years as part of the museum’s $22 million Centennial Development project.

The Don Stafford Wing, which opened in September, added public gallery space housing a range of new exhibitions.

The new signature exhibition is Nga Pumanawa o Te Arawa – The Beating Hearts of Te Arawa, which follows the journey of Te Arawa people, the original inhabitants of the area, from their origins in Hawaiki to their descendants today.

In addition, Rotorua Museum now boasts five state of the art changing exhibition spaces, which this summer will include Blomfield in Wonderland. Famous for his paintings of the Pink and White Terraces, this exhibition shows that Charles Blomfield’s art focused on more than just the scenic wonders of Rotorua.