Te Aroha & District museum

Presenting the history of our town and district in ways that recognise and explain our shared past, as the foundation of our future

The Holmes' photographs

Te Aroha resident, Alfred Norris Holmes, was a bricklayer having arrived from Invercargill and settling here in 1915.  He was also a talented amateur photographer.

The Museum is fortunate to have a large quantity of Alf's glass plates and photographic equipment.  Many of the plates were to be viewed using a double image printed card on state-of-the-art stereoscopic viewers, giving an exciting three dimensional image.

The Holmes' display contains images from his life's work with related stories of some of his eight children and locals, whom he took many photos of.  This is a unique collection of images.

The Te Aroha and District Museum Society Inc presents the history of the district through thousands of artefacts and extensive displays of historic photos; early Maori relics; gold mining days; early settlers; business and development; the Domain; and the town's rich spa history through which the story of Te Aroha, the district and its people is told.

The Museum's home, for the last 53 years, is the Cadman Bath House sitting splendidly at the top of the Domain and along with the other buildings at its side it forms the only complete Edwardian Domain remaining in New Zealand.  The Bath House opened in 1898 and was the first building commissioned especially for tourists - Te Aroha is hailed as "the birth place of tourism in New Zealand". 

In 1971 the Te Aroha Mayor Henry Skidmore began the Museum.   From humble beginnings the Museum has grown to be a vibrant place of interest and is constantly developing both through extending its collection and methods of display.  The Museum is proud to showcase a great number of its artefacts, along with photographs and the stories behind the objects and people of Te Aroha and its surrounding districts.

"Taking the waters" is a wonderful DVD by author Kevin Wells which provides a fascinating history of the spa days and the Domain, narrated by actor Ian Harrop.  This DVD will take you on a journey of discovery and is available for viewing at any time at the Museum, it's a great place to start your visit.

COME INSIDE...

Take our full immersion virtual reality tour here and get a flavour of what our Museum is all about.


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WHAT'S NEW?

Volunteers have added to, created and refreshed many displays recently at the Museum, including: the Power display; the Hot Springs; Pioneer Days; Sporting Heroes; Spa History; Honouring our People; our Aviation Story; Waihou Village - and there are more new displays in development.