Must-go museum for heritage and history buffs. The entrance is warm and welcoming with its stylised Maori carved architecture.
- Narrates the story of Beaconsfield, the two-story house on the hill on the seaward side overlooking the town towards the Post Office and known as “Beaconsfield.”
- Offers intriguing back of the museum tours and witness the Witness the magic which happens behind the scenes; where collection items are catalogued and stored for safe access when curating museum exhibitions. The museum team is available to conduct back-of-house tours through the archives and social history storeroom by appointment.
- Artist, politician, methodist minister, Oriwa Tahupotiki Haddon (1898-1958) works and documents are part of the museum collection
- Fascinating story of Patea’s role as a maritime port with Pātea once provided over half of the port of Wellington’s dairy exports in the 19thc. There is a ‘cheese boat’ as part of the exhibition.