Reviews of Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato. (Museum) in Hamilton (Waikato).

Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato

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Museum

Museum

1 Grantham Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204, New Zealand

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Information of Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Museum in Hamilton (Waikato)

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Reviews of Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato

R.

Took my 5 year old niece to the museum and she loved it. They offer children a game of eye spy, this is a sheet with pictures of various items in the museum. This helped her focused on what was displayed all over the museum and allowed me time to look at what they had on display. Loved it. 5 year old niece loved the play center it had a farmyard, science and technology. Offered lab coats and goggles and she said look I'm a scientist. A must visit for all who have not been to the museum.

N.

Beautiful museum filled with history and culture. Learned so much from spending 3 hours here. Loved the displays, interactive activities, portraits, art, etc. There is also a small gift shop - but would've been nice if it was bigger with more items for sale. Would've really loved to buy some memorabilia.

D.

Excellent regional museum, especially for children. There is a whole level of the building dedicated to interactive activities for children. Our son (2.5yrs old) loved the activities as he’s very engineering / building focused. Could have easily spent a whole afternoon here.

C.

The art here is awesome. I only wish there was more to look at and read. The staff are lovely. The kids' section is great; however, you do need to pay for entry to this zone. The rest of the museum is free.

V.

The museum is spacious and has a reasonable display of Hamilton history. It does not have a big collection of Waikato regional artifacts and history. The museum highlights modern art from local people. It is worth visiting on a rainy day.

K.

The kids area is fantastic - fun for both children and adults. Shame a couple of the things were out of order. Great for a rainy day (or a day that's too hot to be out at the Gardens).

M.

Lovey museum with friendly staff. Excite centre for kids is awesome. Lots of fun and also scientific games for the kids to enjoy. Could spend at least a couple hours in here .... so much fun for the kids. The exhibitions are good but some require payment are quiet expensive.

O.

Great museum, should visit when you are in Hamilton

f.

The kids area is highly recommended. We'll worth the visit. Recommend to families. Spent a good 3 hours there.

D.

Great museum conveniently located right in the heart of Hamilton city centre with a good range of interesting permanent and temporary exhibits. Does a great job of telling the Māori and Pākehā stories of the Waikato from the arrival of the Tainui waka (canoe) until today. Free entry except for special exhibitions.

M.

Nice place to visit in Hamilton. Lots of interesting workshops and activities . Definitely will get back .

B.

If you are expecting and comparing with Auckland or Te Papa you will be a bit disappointed. Nice experience though for kids and students. Parking is a challenge and limited.

C.

Intuitive layout, easy to navigate, loved the variety of collections: Anna Frank, All Blacks, local history, contemporary art, Chinese pottery, maaori art, very diverse. I would have preferred a brief vocabulary at the beginning because words such as natives and settlers were in te reo maaori, even in the English translation, so I had no idea what most of the captions referred to. Incredible thing that most of the museum is free and open all days a week. There's no book shop per se but a few shelves with the books of the exhibit, postcards for 1 or 2$ and other shelves for toys, puzzles, children's books and plushies. Loved the illustrations of the children's books and though the postcards are quite small, they're a nice memento.

R.

Today was an educational day for me. At the museum today they had a workshop called- TOI Maaori - Huru Ataahua, beautiful feather. Learning about the use of feathers in maaori adornment where we created our own earings from chicken and roster feathers with additional ribbon added for a different effect. As you can see in the photo I posted. The Museum hosts maaori art and craft workshops the 1st Friday of every month and why not check.it out. It's free and it's interest. Our teacher Tui was very knowledgeable and helpful in this craft we learnt today. She is very passionate about the maaori arts and craft, you can tell this by the way she teaches the workshop. Everyone is welcome to participate no matter what level you are. I am a 1st timer and I found the workshop to be very therapeutic. The only exhibit that I go to see was the maaori floor which Iadmired the layout and the beauty in the craftsman ship of the totem poles. At the moment they have a dinosaur exhibit to take the kids to. It's always interest seeing history right before your eyes. I had a great day out and am.glad that I choose to make the trip.to the.museum today. Enjoy your time at the.museum.

B.

Fantastic view of local history and art. Amazingly freindly and helpful staff. The building and river walk are great.

G.

Lovely place, very informative of the regions history and very well planned themed art gallery.

A.

Really a great museum. I was in Hamilton for just the day and had some free time to see the museum for the first time. I was so surprised with the professional and modern museum displays and the staff were friendly. When I went I saw the National Geographic photography exhibition, the interactive Top Twins show which includes their props, videos, photos, information and posters. Then there was the Lynley Dodd show with the intricate little illustrations of Scarface Claw and some artworks inspired by Katherine Mainsfield, the Seraphine Pick portrait was particularly beautiful.

E.

We really loved the children's area. It was well worth the price and there many educational experiences for my children. My children can't wait to go again! They had live music the day we were there and the kids really enjoyed it. The only thing was that it was hard to find parking. We had to circle a coule of times through the city to find parking.

K.

This was definitely a highlight of our trip! We got to make arts and crafts, strolled through the science area which was very fun, made origami (failed!), looked into New Zealands history and got to see some lovely art work.

L.

Fun & interactive place to bring the kids to, small fee for the kids area but the rest is free to visit.

H.

Cool museum. Loved seeing the Maori carvings. Lots of information on the history of New Zealand's colonization by the british. Some interactive components.

D.

Something to keep children entertained although the rest of the exhibits lacked luster after going through from the interactive area it was still a way to pass the time with the little ones.

k.

I'm not sure how to review a museum to be honest. They have art. It is displayed. Currently they have an exhibition about the settling of kirikiriroa as Hamilton. Also a bit about the great south road but not so much how it came to be (a war). A lovely exhibition of maori arts but in contemporary styles. Some more abstract modern pieces as well if thats your thing including the obligatory fenced off pile of essentially garbage (various envelopes and other forms of packaging scrunched up in this instance) with absolutely no explanation, always fun. And another exhibition by an older white woman, someone feahey? The standard overpriced giftshop and a collection of interactive exhibits downstairs that we didn't pay to see today. As sarcastic as this sounds it was a good time.

A.

Although I went for a particular exhibition This Museum has a great deal to offer and has a great deal of amazing information and activities🥰

R.

Although Hamilton is small it does house great history here. It's free to get in, some installation might need to be paid for but we didn't miss put on anything.

P.

Really enjoyed the mix of Anzacs and history of Maori in the Waikato region. An interesting scavenger hunt kept my son entertained as well as a mine craft map of Gallipoli. Staff were friendly and engaging when asked questions. Museum was very clean and interesting

P.

Absolutely loved it. My autistic son was so happy with all the hands on kids activities they had to offer. So thank you from us to you.

L.

A nice museum to visit whilst in Hamilton because whilst we were there the entry was free except for one section which was for kids. Good insight into Maori culture, traditions and their interactions with the pakeha that lead to the events post signing of the treaty. Also interesting art and sculptural exhibits featuring iconic local NZ artists.

R.

Was a very good experience, alot to look at and children had crafts to do , very nice place 👍👍👍👍👍👍

J.

There's some new installations in the Maori section that are really good. Also changing exhibitions mean there is usually something new to see each time.

C.

Great place to visit. Free entry and friendly staff. New attraction opened today - Where children sleep, very interesting!!

I.

Smaller museum that doesn't try to do everything but chooses a good variety of subjects and makes cracking exhibits of their selections. You'd expect Maaori heritage to be well represented and I especially liked the sound and light show of the creation of lights in the world.

T.

It’s not widely known, but you can actually book a tour of the Waikato Museum Collections with one of us four curators. I lead visual art tours, and we also have curators for social history, science and tangata whenua. My tour will take you through this vast storage area where you can see paintings, drawings and sculptures among the thousands of taonga. There are Colin McCahons and Ralph Hoteres and Toi Te Rito Maihi works. We also have a large collection of Pacific and Oceanic taonga. People always love to see the large collection storage room with gigantic sculptural works by artists like Chris Booth, Dion Hitchens and Andrea du Chatenier. Leafa Wilson - Arts & Culture Expert

L.

Really enjoyed the maori carving and history section, very impressed.

P.

A modern, contemporary style museum. Focus on artists galleries, however the waka is the main attraction. Don't expect to see a lot of exhibits, in cabinets. The interior portrays a modern outlook. Certainly worth a hour or two.And it's free.

D.

Had a great time. Galileo exhibit was very interactive. Interesting exhibits. Personally really liked the donations of "personal treasures", which were very engaging. The photo exhibit of children around the world, very thought provoking also.

m.

Spent 2 hours with Mr 4 y/ old. Could stay all day and play. Awesome

H.

The interactive science areas were really great and well worth the entry fee. Something interesting for all ages - my boys are 10 and 12 and they had a lot of fun. I'm 40-something and enjoyed it too :)

G.

We are from over the North Shore in Taamaki Makaurau & although we never had the time to walk around the whole Museum what we did see we really loved especially the War Memorial & Tikanga Maaori parts 😁

A.

Brought the kids to the museum, there are some fun things for smaller kids like the knitted garden, but it's disappointing that the price has gone up, last time the kids were $5 each and there was no cost for an accompanying parent. Now $20 a visit for a not-huge kids area - just means we won't come often. Bit of a shame, we love museums.

A.

Took the kids. Was ok but disappointing that the much loved pea moving machine had about ten peas in it so didn’t work. I use to live using that as a kid. And as it’s featured on their website as one of their amazing activities it should really be topped up. Expensive for what we got

T.

Went to an Easter egg hunt at the museum. It was a clever idea for young ones. However, I think the age range was wrong. I think the program would of best suited 7 years and under. But in saying this. Afterwards, we did the egg and hunt picture find. Which gave us the opportunity to see all thw museum had to offer, which was very cool. " Where Kids Sleep", I especially liked.

D.

As a local I don't go here near enough, but as I had a friend in town we went along. The exhibits are well laid out and I found some really interesting information about my own city that I didn't even know before! Well worth the visit. Took 2 hours just to get through one level.

H.

Ever changing exhibits. Fantastic place for Kids. Even energetic kids.

K.

Staff were very friendly and welcoming. Loved that they have activities for children to do whilst looking through the museum. Our children really enjoyed the Kids Innovations and Inventors area- lots of activities for the children to interact with!

H.

As a family of 3. The Waikato museum is always a must visit. Great exhibitions. We all loved the Galileo one currently on display. Another one is the exhibition of children from around the world and their bedrooms- quite emotional.

G.

Interesting display on 1981springbok game in Hamilton. Remember the day so clearly.

N.

Excite exhibition for kids is fantastic, full of science and fun activities for children and adults alike.

j.

Good place to visit when you have nothing to do with the kids it's free entry to museum you just have to pay to get in to kids play area but worth a look at to learn about Waikato history

P.

Excellent museum with many good exhibits when we visited. In fact returned the next day to see art exhibits after enjoying the Galileo exhibition the day before.

D.

Definitely worth a visit. Has a wide variety of artifacts.

M.

A must see if you come to visit Hamilton! Totally free of charge, and they have a lot of history of the city here. Completely recommend to come to the Waikato Museum, especially with family.

R.

Air-conditioned. Well maintained displays. Clean toilets. Wheelchair accessible.

L.

What a great afternoon we had. A grandma and my mokos aged 3 and 8. I joined in and sat back fir a while and 3 hours later tired and buzzing at the same time we left.

F.

Great little Museum for our first ever in New Zealand on a visit from Australia. Nicely laid out, helpful and cheerful staff. Went back on Waitangi Day for a fantastic day of activities and cultural shows. Was the best show we had in 3 months of travel through New Zealand with some wonderful performances. Professional, fun, and a great day out with lots of fantastic entertainment with audience participation thrown in. Very fortunate and privileged to be present and experience song and dance from Maori, Indian and Samoan culture. Our thanks to the Museum for putting on such an inspiring and memorable day which was a wonderful highlight of our stay here. Thank you Hamilton for putting on display your cultural diversity in such a magnificent way.

A.

A fairly affordable outing for the family, especially kids. Excite is great for kids to explore and do hands on learning. They change other exhibits on a regular basis, some are paid and some are free. The other exhibits usually consist of art/sculptures however you will occasionally get something a bit more exciting like the dinosaurs and bugs.

S.

Disappointing compared to every other museum IV been to . Basically some photos and a history of Waikato . Nothing wrong with it but wouldn't go making a special trip .

C.

The galileo exhibits will done. I liked all the physical examples explaining his theories. It made science exciting and inspiring.

J.

Went to the Galileo exhibition. Very engaging, dynamic and tactile exhibits that can interact with and in a way it's like performing Galileo's own experiments.

N.

The Excite area was Great except the car area was hogged by some children n abit overrun in afternoon by children from a holiday program group we had to leave. The Bright spark below was disappointing untidy n no actual phones! The lighting installation maybe two maybe better. Needs some updating

M.

Loved the exsite holiday programme exhibition. Lots of hands on science fun. Staff was extremely nice and helpful

P.

Awesome exhibits shown with great care and respect.

D.

Nice cosy place to spend some quiet time.

R.

Kids enjoyed the activities while I got to stroll around and check out the other exhibits.

J.

You may learn the history of New Zealand. And the Maoori's culture. I bought some postcards for my family.

J.

We visited the excite kids exhibit. Great way to pass a couple of hours with the toddlers on a rainy or too hot day! Great variety of hands on exhibits. Keep an eye out for the crochet chicken and eggs, so cute!

A.

I was pleasantly surprised with the range of gallery displays on offer. We were greeted by a very friendly man at the front counter who advised us of all the exhibitions and emphasised that two were on their last day. We were able to enjoy ourselves while being educated on New Zealand and International history. Colourful, informative and interactive. I appreciated the link between the Katherine Mansfield exhibition with the new garden at the Hamilton Gardens, a good community vibe. A number of events were also on display for information about upcoming events.

P.

We went to see the costumes from well known films. Wonderful display. The rest of the museum has a great range of exhibitions, most that are free to view, e.g art, atrifacts.There is also a children's part where they can have fun with science.Went yesterday with 2 friends to see the costumes from movies display . It was wonderful as was the 3 other exhibitions seen.

M.

Excite is a great place to spend many hours with the kids. Gets changed and upgraded from time to time, so always something new.

K.

It’s beyond fantastic when a museum includes an actual focused exhibition for children; one that inspires and mesmerises! My little scientist was not disappointed, that’s for sure! Very nicely done.

G.

Good museum with free admission. There is an impressive 200 year old Maori War canoe Te Winika and other carvings, interesting exhibits and information about local white settlers and Maoris, 60 paintings by Melvin Day and historical photographs of the All Blacks. There is modestly priced ($2.50 for two hours) parking adjacent to the museum.

H.

Great family outing! Went there with a friend and a 10 year old. Quite possibly us adults had more fun in the Exscite exhibition than the kid (and he was enjoying himself). Recommend for inquisitive minds and kids of all ages that like the magic of applied science.

C.

Went to the national Geographic photographer exhibition. Was fabulous. We were greeted at the gallery by a very welcoming staff member then totally enjoyed our hour or so read g about the photos and taking in the visual effects. A recommended trip

T.

We've been to lots of museums here in New Zealand.... this is lovely just not quite on the same par. Very nicely laid out in separate areas, quirky too and the beautiful waka with stunning carvings in the window area.

C.

Great regional museum. The kids discovery area (Exscite) is really cool. It also has an area called Bright Sparks, which is more for older kids (6+), but still interactive and fun. The Exscite area is aimed at school age kids, but the displays are so fun and colourful, that even an infant will enjoy some of it. Currently $6 for adults and $9 for kids over 3. Rest of the museum is normally free. Some consistent displays, but they have a good turnover of travelling exhibits that are usually worth a look. Can just go for a couple of hours and see a couple of exhibits, or spend the day. Overall, a cool day out.

C.

Beautiful medium sized museum with friendly, helpful staff

s.

Great place to visit for all ages! Interactive area for children was a bit hit! I loved the rich history and beautiful carvings.

R.

This museum is must see if you are interested in the history of the Waikato area. There are constantly new exhibits so there is something new to see every time. The staff is friendly and helpful and positive which really adds to the experience. You can find convenient parking right in front of the museum for a reasonable price as well.

J.

Great place. Saw the Galileo exhibition was fantastic. I will be back to see the rest of the museum.

P.

Small, simple museum that packs a punch. Really impressive. Every corner has got something interesting to offer. I really enjoyed the installation where the Maori's story of creation was told. Magical. I also find it awesome that this museum is situated beside the Waikato river. That is just pure genius. Very historic.

S.

Love the museum just wish it was bigger with more to see and interact with

J.

A lot of variety in exhibitions. Something for every one. My 6 year old loved the interactive spaces

D.

This is a great place to take the kids, we have been several times over the years and the kids love it. Great activities to do to keep the entertained. This was our first time in the Excite section and it was full of interactive activities to get the brain working!

P.

Very good collection and exhibition spaces at a picturesque location. No macrons in the Te Reo - so nice to see!

C.

I went with my school, we received an in depth talk on the life of Anne Frank and the events leading up to the holocaust. I found it very interesting and the staff were always helpful and polite. A lovely day!

B.

We like taking the family here, but it does feel like it suffers from a real lack of funding. Many exhibits are either old or rather boring. A real shame, it could be so much more! Most of the newer content requires an entry fee which isn't cheap for a whole family. The staff are friendly and helpful.

S.

Beautiful art and good service! Good place also for kids.

D.

Fun museum, some great exhibits for the kids. The lower ground floor has a couple of fun kids play and learn areas. We have now bought annual membership.

a.

What a journey back to the past! We enjoyed seeing art paintings, canoes, dresses and other memorabilia of New Zealand. Awesome.

S.

Amazing dinosaur display and Excite is truly phenomenal. Price is very decent for the amount of work that has gone into those displays. Well done

I.

Went to see the National Geographic Top 50 Photographs exhibition. This is the very best of Nat Geo images covering 1967 to current day. These were very well presented by the Waikato Museum with excellent descriptions and more detail available from a number of well placed visitor-operated flat panel screens. Well done the museum for securing the material and displaying them so well. Recommendation: see it while its here!

P.

Bit disappointed no history of Hamilton. I appreciate the reply to my review. But I still found it more like an art gallery. Maybe I was just there at wrong time

T.

Ideal place to take the family. Elements of interaction which is beneficial for children and provision of chairs at the entrance so you can rest while touring the museum. Friendly staff and very comfortable and welcoming environment.

M.

Peacefulness, casual and easy viewing very well presented...kia ora from Sydney.

K.

What a fantastic museum with active exhibitions took 2 children 4 and 2 years old. They loved it very much. We were there for 3 hours. Top attraction in Hamilton.

C.

My 4 yr old loves coming here to play at excite. Often there are things out of order understandable but a bit disappointing. Always a cheap fun outing and keeps us busy for a few hours. Helpful staff/hosts too always really friendly:)

N.

Worth the time if you are passing by. The exhibition spaces are very small, and nothing is real interest was on during our visit. There is a great display explaining traditional Maori navigation in the basement though, which is definitely the highlight.

N.

My son is 4 and loves museums so we went and the museum is free but relevant children's area was about $8 per person. What a joke. He loved it and wants to go now everytime we go to Hamilton. But I am not prepared to pay for the child area when the rest is free.

V.

Good place of searching,additional knowledge & history

R.

Some places in museum free others had to be paid for. Most of it was good but the featured artist didn't interest me. One part of the museum was set aside for that artist. Loved the person at main counter that day which was 1/3/18

W.

Magnificent and almost intact weka and beautiful woodcarvings. Also a very interesting wing about the history of Waikato and Hamilton. Upstairs you have the contemporary art exhibition, with artists from the region, and the selection is neat. You can also create your own piece of art (w/ children or not) and hang it on the wall with the others or take it home ! AND ALL OF THIS FOR FREE ! (Please make a donation anyway). Also the team is perfect.

N.

Surprisingly lovely museum, loved the Marti Friedlander exhibit and the Wahine Maori multi artist exhibit too

m.

The museum it's self was great and an eye opener for the kids, especially the light show. I think a little more effort needs to be made in telling people about the external displays as we only just saw it. The off putting thing for us was the staff member who acted like a stalker and made our visit uncomfortable.

V.

Had a Brilliant time with a 5yr old - we did the quiz and got most - we checked everything out a few times - except the interactive play room - (will go back again) - 5year olds are a bit wary of the T Rex' but before we left she was standing in front of Rex and Roaring her head off at him - then she went to the other Dinisaur models and did the sane - but the T Rex became her Favourite!!

A.

One of the beautiful places to know the history of Maori tradition and culture. With the scenic views of the river in background it gets the best during any time of the day

P.

Very nice and informative museum. With some fun action too.

K.

Is Free to enter or give a donation/koha. It has a lot of beautiful Māori artifacts and tells the history of Waikato from first Maori inhabitants 800 years ago to present day. The Waka (war canoe) and Pou (ancestoral pole carvings) are absolutely stunning. The town that has disappeared due to a opencast coal mine is particularly poineant. They had wheelchairs available for free steralised after each use.

w.

my mokos love this piace STAFF are topnotch .activities are educational our heritage is reievant in todays world. KAPAI. verygood.

G.

Great place to take the kids. Either a special day out and pay to see one of the special exhibits or pop in and see all the free ones. Kids love coming here we go about 3 times a year.

G.

Great staff who interacted with the pupils in a friendly manner. Interesting displays to suit a variety if tastes. An excellent school trip.

S.

Always have great art exhibitions here including some interactive one. We often will divert via here on our way home to see what's in

A.

As relative newcomers to Hamilton we've found the museum to be a entertaining source of information on both local and national history, especially considering those exhibits are free. Our 3 year old also loves the interactive science exhibit which makes it well worth the cover charge on a rainy Sunday afternoon! We've also dragged a number of reluctant locals along and am happy to say they've always emerged as converts.

M.

Very good. A shame you have to pay multiple times for special exhibitions though, although worth noting that others are free. Well laid out and worth a visit, especially to learn about the history of the area.

S.

A bit dissipointing. We paid to go to Excite.. these displays were very tired, alot broken, or just didn't work the way they should. The actual museum is do small and not alot to look at. Definitely not a muesum for kid's

F.

Loved the art and information in the dinosaur exhibit, and the eggcite (think that's how it's spelt) was absolutely amazing. Really good place to take your children

A.

Amazing museum in Hamilton. Great nz history and world class exhibits. Worth a few hours visit. Good parking and super clean well kept piece of nz history. Take any visitors there if in Hamilton

A.

Great place to take the kids, the bright sparks area is super fun and very reasonable in cost

M.

We popped in just before closing at 4.35pm and was greeted by a very friendly and helpful staff member. We enjoyed the exhibition of photography also.

C.

Totally awesome, we were there on Waitangi day. There was a lovely lovely Maori performance group and their interaction with the crowd young and old was outstanding. What beautiful singing voiced they had too. We were also lucky enough to catch the 50 best photos from National Geographic. Their small but very moving interaction screens for the Anzacs was very touching, putting names and pre war lifes to old photos. A place well worth supporting.

S.

Good to visit again after leaving Hamilton not long after it was first open.

W.

Good place for knowledge, a bit small though.

E.

This museum is bigger than you expect. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. Very knowledgeable The exhibitions are relevant and it is the perfect rainy day stop for families with children. 😀

T.

Free exhibits are OK, mostly for adults. but the good ones that kids like cost around $25 —30 for a family

A.

I love the museum, always so much to see and do.

G.

Thus is a good museum. Not too overpowering, surprisingly interesting on the development of Hamilton. A big waka, too, and pictures of it on the water, which would be s great sight!

S.

Great space overlooking the mighty Waikato. Went to the 50 best National Geographic photos and really enjoyed the exhibition. Some of the best things in life are free.

E.

Great museum, loved the exhibitions, especially on the Topps twins. The war canoe is very impressive and its location overlooking the Waikato river is stunning. Oh yes, and all free!

V.

Good to go with kids, doesn't take long.

A.

Kids science areas are always fun. Usually got special exhibitions, but they require extra entry fee

P.

Friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful staff. 👍🏼 nice exhibits too. When I went there, they had Nat Geo’s top photos on display. Very cool!

V.

We were there on Anzac Day, when the history and soilders of the War were being celebrated with a special display. In the background was a band playing the most beautiful music. Was a truly magical experience.

K.

The Easter Egg Hunt is so fun at the museum. They always have great exhibits coming through. Plus the staple free things are well presented.

R.

I'm not a museum go'er, but as I was being the tourist and we had time to kill before having to go to the airport, we visited here. At the time of our visit (end of feb 2018), there were a few expo's, the most impressive being about World War 1. The place is well thought out; exhibitions themselves as well as the visitors' flow between exhibitions. We went from learning something about some local artist (which we didn't care for), to learning about some Maori history, specifically Maori kings of the past and present, to the First World War. The latter has stuck in the mind mostly. This is due to the story telling used, images and actual items displayed and the passive-interactive nature of the exhibition. It was also very interesting to learn that I would not have been eligible for the ANZAC army draft at the time due to my weight :p

J.

This museum is ok, certainly not mind blowing. It is one of a few museums in Hamilton and I really wish they would modernise it to bring it up to standard with new museums in bigger cities. There are good exhibits but more needs to be done to encourage people to visit and support.

G.

Free entry (apart from special exhibitions). The museum has a diverse collection. From Maori history, World War 1, floating islands to art work. Good way to spend a rainy afternoon.

K.

Best museum I've ever been to. Kids also loved it and had lots of fun. Hands on activities, very informative exhibitions. Highly recommended

A.

When I visited the museum was hosting a very interesting collection of copper prints by Gary Tricker and also paintings by Giuseppe Castiglione. I found the museum very nice and home to some great New Zealand history pieces.

D.

small museum to visit on a cold day warm inside friendly staff to talk about the events in the museum interesting visit the Maori exhibition going back to the old days in history. free entry.

S.

Great museum, exhibitions change regularly. I like the small room exhibits such as local artists etc but kids like large scales touring exhibitions. Human body and pre dinosaurs recent favourites.

N.

A good range of interesting art exhibitions. Also has a Maori section. Cyrrently a WWII exhibition running till late 2018. Well worth a visit. Stimulating and educational.

M.

Great place to take the grandkids, wonderful kid friendly space.

M.

It was cool but ya have to pay to get into a section seeing the history is definitely worth going to.

a.

Enjoyed reminiscing about 1981, big year for NZ society.

I.

I love this museum! Lots special item and knowledge but free entry! Actually, the things in there need to spend all day to see. I'll be back to know more detail If I have a chance.

S.

MY 3&5 yr old refused to leave the excite part of the muesem, thoroughly enjoyed their time here and we were lucky enough to see a Hispanic dancing show whilst we were viewing the beautiful waka!

C.

Never been before...specially went down to see Michael Shepherd exhibition reinventing history painting.enjoyed it and the lecture..loved photo exhibition and the waka room,and Lynley Dodd display...

Y.

Small museum but free entry and friendly staff. I was hoping for more Măori exhibitions however there was a large amount on the First World War and New Zealand's involvement.

J.

Really good place to find inspiration to create artworks.

D.

Very under used. Not many people there at all....so I'm thinking maybe you need to get it out there what you have to offer. Loved the bug section. Also liked the history section

M.

The museum was awesome the art the culture the history the fashion wow it was all wonderful I loved going there it's also great for school trips and the local cafes are to die for

M.

Very helpful staff. Good home town feel. Relevant displays. Culturally significant. Environment clean and safe. Lovely outside. River trail very close. Lots of food nearby. Centre of town.

j.

Fantastic period movie clothing on display. A pleasure to be in this beautiful building. Loved the mara area overlooking the river. Well worth a visit

D.

Love the museum, could wander all day.

W.

Took the kids as most of it is free. Had an awesome All Blacks/Rugby photo exhibition. Very clean and friendly staff.

H.

well i certainly don't understand the negative reviews, this place is great! there is a a big maori content because this is was a big maori area in the past and still is. seeing that huge canoe in stately repose with the river beyond through the window was very impressive to me. smallish interesting exhibitions, and the big stuff is as good as you'll see anywhere. lucked into a 'musical feast' at lunchtime the other day and was blown away! if you want to buy really good quality kiwiana pop next door to the Artspost, which has great exhibitions too.

K.

Kids loved it! They made stars for Matariki and didn't want to leave. Will have to bring them back again

a.

Perfect place to understand the history of New Zealand and Hamilton...

P.

Good museum to visit but they could still do better though. No complains cos its free entry (Mar 2018) but guess there is going to be charge from Nov 2018.

F.

Great place to spend a chilly winter's day, keep my son entertained and engaged for the whole afternoon

H.

Brilliant exhibitions and great area for kids to learn all about bugs spiders roaches etc well worth a visit to see Maori culture

P.

it is a lovely museum.. but the emotions overwhelmed me when i entered the place where the waka was held.. i felt sick like i wanted to vomit.. the spirits are strong in this part of the building.. after i left the museum i had 2 hv a wash & karakia and my sickness was lifted.. i will not return to this place because its very Tapu for me..

J.

Took my little nephew and brother here.. It Is good for a cheap outing, but also to view some awesome art. There is also the excite there which is good for kids.

K.

Brilliant museum in a wonderful setting overlooking the mighty Waikato river

N.

Fantastic experience, where children sleep exhibition particularly moving

M.

a really nice small museum with lots of Māori history and culture. Staff was friendly and informative

C.

"Wow" the Museum was so cool on saturday. The kids had a ball, so much to learn an do 😁

T.

My son had a great time! Loved the art selection and had loads of fun with the Exscite exhibition.

F.

Interesting, free, and (as usual in NZ :) ) very helpful and smiley staff, I only had 45mn until closing so as soon as I arrived they directed me to the most interesting areas. Thank you !

P.

It seems more of an art gallery than a museum. Quite surprised how little is there.

A.

Decent enough for a small town like Hamilton. The "They Is They Fell" exhibition is worth the visit if you're interested in World War history.

A.

It was a wet day in Hamilton, I was looking after my granddaughter. We went to the museum and we had fun. A good winter's day out.

F.

Interesting exhibition about Galileo focusing on his scientific contributions.

v.

Ndhs na KO xd but he was a lot and

R.

Nice little museum. A different theme after some months. When we visited the theme was Rugby. It was a good experience and trivia about local rugby teams.

S.

Some really good collections displayed - could do with containing a bit more info about the Waikato region - past history and Maori settlements, contemporary history and future plans. That might help provide a link to the exhibition of the Maori waka taua (Maaori war canoe) and the present day. That is more in line with what might be anticipated at a museum.

C.

Very musty smelling interior, not an entirely welcoming atmosphere. A small museum so not much time is needed to view exhibits.

A.

Always worth a visit as the exhibitions keep changing and are always very interesting, Keep up the good work.

M.

Great museum with lots of interesting exhibitions. Great place to learn about local culture and history

M.

Have been down from Auckland twice now for an extant garment showcase and more recently for a costumes from movies. Love it, need more things like these

C.

Really good for kids! Love the excite area and the different kiddies exhibits. Had the milk one last week was a good laugh

L.

Great place to pop in and learn something, or right now there's a great National Geographic photography exhibit on. New exhibits come in regularly!

W.

Amazing exhibits and korero to share at the museum. Beautiful views of the river

K.

Had a good visit to the museum.

T.

Te Whare Taonga o Waikato has opened a new exhibition featuring some awesome mahi toi from Mana Wāhine locally, nationally & internationally. As you walk through the waharoa you are colourfully welcomed by a Zena Elliot painting ..... a beautiful burst of energy and feminine essence that is expressed throughout the whole exhibit

S.

Awesome place. Exhibitions are especially good.

R.

This rating is for a childs experience at Exsite, she really enjoyed it. I would rate the Adult Museum experience a lot lower and as Stale.

H.

What great art exhibitions on at present, I've been twice this week - Dick Frizzell, Ewan MacLeod, The Fletcher Collection and Peter Dornauf. I saw the talk by the Fletcher Art Collection curator Peter Shaw a few weeks back - excellent. I was sorry to have missed Peter Dornauf talking last Saturday. If you get a chance to go to these (free) talks do, they're great.

S.

An interesting historical exhibition on the protest to against the springboks rugby game in Hamilton.

G.

No door fee, wow! Water features out front, fantastic video presentations, informative exhibits. I enjoyed my first visit here

I.

If in Hamilton with kids, definitely check out the basement of the museum, totally dedicated to kids for hours of entertainment!!

M.

Excite and Bright sparks is educational fun for younge and old. The upgrades are a great improvement and there's lots of interactive exibits

c.

Lovely museum. Well set out and the Excite for kids is amazing.

C.

Great range of exhibitions that change. So going every few months you will see something new. Would love it to be bigger, and show more of waikato history.

D.

This is a great little museum with an ever changing collection of art and great interactive exhibits for the kids.

A.

Beautiful. One of the lesser known places of Hamilton. Must visit as a tourist and resident.

J.

World class displays featuring local history. You will need more than a couple of hours to do the museum justice.

J.

Great holiday fun

A.

Large and full of history. Offers many activities for all ages. There is plenty to be learnt about the future and the past + it is free to visit.

S.

Always a delight to see new exhibitions and interact with the friendly host team

a.

Very nice, not too big but had a lot to see.

C.

Saw an interesting photographic exhibition on rugby through the eyes of Peter Bush. Good entree to the weekends rugby test match.

A.

I enjoy visiting this museum. The exhibits are interesting. The location is great. The staff are always friendly and informative.

C.

Has good entry and easy to get to. Nice just to walk around and the items are well set out for viewing.

P.

A bit up and down in terms of exhibitions, can have some great ones but just so so at the moment. I didn't pay to go and see the costume show though.

J.

Kids area really really good but as far as a museum... The ball has been dropped. Mostly art and nothing about history of Waikato

K.

They always bring new exhibits. Loved their da Vinci exhibit when it came over a few years ago

R.

Free entry museum, nice place with some contemporer and traditional art. Finding parking place is little bit chalanging during peak season.

K.

A very nice museum, not too big. Usually a few nice special exhibits plus some local history.

C.

Great museum, loved the gallileo exibition.

S.

It's a good space for parents and kids, interesting learning.

T.

Good free attraction and lots of interactive activities to do (have to pay to go into the kids zoned area).

J.

Great venue to see regional history. Art shows vary by season and Excite exhibits for the school age children

l.

Well laid out exhibiters and lovely to have live music with operatic singers. Serene Maori section.

H.

Great place to go. Most of the exhibits are free. They are really interesting!

S.

Quiet small. Exhibitions well laid out. Lots of art.. not so much historical museum.

C.

Beautiful exhibits and the excite part is fantastic for kids - keeps them busy for hours!

g.

Worth going to when there is an interesting exhibition on. There have been some interesting photographs on display here recently.

G.

Very well set out with lots to see. Easy to spend a few hours here without even noticing the time going by.

N.

Fabulous day at the weaving exhibition

R.

Best museum I have been to! Amazing kids interactive area, a real hidden gem in Hamilton

R.

Fun exciting love the school holiday programs

M.

Hine e Hina exhibition is awesome 👌

J.

I was lucky. Got a free pass. Photos featured in Nat Geo are shown there. Pretty good.

D.

Great place for a family vist,great art & artifacts, alot of history to be learnt by all

j.

Lots of interesting local exhibitions plus artworks and an outside exhibition held, the backyard beasties on just now

N.

Mario Kart with actual karts only $5 easily the best museum in NZ

d.

Kool 😎 museum

K.

Fantastic interactive children's area and very helpful staff. We spent a wonderful wet Saturday here.

K.

It is an amazing place I'm pleased I went and will tell everyone about it a great afternoon time well spent

s.

Loved this place! My daughter learned so much history here. Wish I had more time to spend there.

R.

I enjoy the museum. It is easy to get around, has a good selection of exhibits, and tells the stories well.

A.

Friendly staff,awesome workshops,art and history.

A.

Always a great trip. Great for visiting family from overseas but not as much active input from staff as previous visits.

L.

Loved it! Took my 5 year old and my 18 month old and it was engaging for the both of them.

J.

Great interactive room that kids and adults love. Whole museum is very good.

D.

Awesome interactive displays. Great for the kids. Very interesting for adults. Cheers

T.

Loved it, the staff were very friendly and attentive. It was an awesome insight on the history of Hamilton

K.

Awesome place for a visit with the family to get a little bit of knowledge about the area

v.

Good place to visit and seen some of the local artifacts

C.

Very nice staff and a good presentation. The lightning show was very good and all in all the presentation and the text were well written

u.

Learnt about how New Zealand was part of the world war. I was glad to find out more about the culture and it was a great experience

J.

A great place for art lovers !

C.

Onl saw a small part of it but was interesting what I saw.

A.

Extremely well presented, well worth the visit.. Stunning photographic displays of the National Geographic.

J.

3rd of march was kids day and it was fantastic, even peaked the parents curiosity, loved it x

J.

A great museum. Excellent exhibits that appear to be regularly updated. A real credit to Hamilton.

L.

Just saw the Jacqueline Fahey exhibition, very exciting

N.

Excite for kids great but a few of the stations were out of service and downstairs still under construction with strong smell of paint

R.

Loved it, finding things for our 6yo was awesome excellent thing to do for free

J.

Very friendly staff and well constructed. There is a wide variety of exhibits.

C.

A great celebration and testimony to our local heroes. Well worth the visit. And it's free.

J.

Decent little museum with free entry for most areas. Nothing amazing or interactive.

A.

With a 3 year old grandchild with us a great place to spend a wet afternoon, will be back.Why no cafe is beyond me

K.

Enjoyable experience - great range of exhibits. Well worth a visit.

T.

A diverse collection. From pre-european, to colonial, to the present. Some beautiful works. A caution; some of the exhibits are pay to view.

A.

Wonderful museum, often showing new collections, kids love it

H.

Pretty average museum really. Some very interesting things but limited

P.

Great museum for understanding waikato

D.

The exhibition of classical mechanic achievements (Archimedes and beyond) was absolutely stunning.

C.

Loved it. Really cool experience and very helpful staff. Worth the visit.

B.

Gr8 costumes. Lighting seemed a bit subdued. Inadequate I felt. May be due to costume preservation?🙄🤔

R.

Great place,the 9yo Grandson loved it

T.

Awesome exhibition, I especially liked the war canoe and the presentation of the beginning of the world in the maori way

R.

Would be nice if they updated the bottom part more often but loving the new stuff they put in!

D.

Free and well curated. Hamilton should be very proud of this museum. Friendly staff

J.

Great fun and interactive displays

b.

Ways well presented with interesting and simulating visiting and permernant exhibits.

M.

Great place to visit. Donation to get in. Kids area well worth visiting too.

m.

Great asset for the City. Fantastic exhibits wonderful for children and adults alike.

J.

The exhibit: Top 50 photographs of National Geographic was an amazing experience.

T.

One of the best things to visit if you come to Hamilton. That too in free of cost

C.

Great small museum. Extensive nz war collection and huge maori traditional canoe.

S.

Good range of different exhibits, free entry to most of Museum, lack of parking.

K.

Great service. Even had a activity sheet for the kids to do.

g.

Very friendly and helpful staff, a smaller musician but packed with interesting stuff

M.

Went to the museum very time when our family is visiting Hamilton. A lovely place to learn something.

L.

Fantastic exhibitions in a beautiful location

Y.

The place showcases history of Waikato/New Zealand and the Maoris.. Admission is free.

M.

Contempory and relevant. Thank you Waikato Museum

B.

Great. Plenty to look at. Alot of infomation on somethings. Kids room is awsome. Wurth to have a look.

k.

Suprising and varied exhibitions for a smaller museum. Great for a rainy afternoon!

l.

Really good. Staff on duty so friendly & helpful. Enjoyed visit enormously.

J.

I like going there it is so quiet.

R.

Nice exhibition of photos from one of our country's foremost sports photographers

n.

Was good but the volume of the readings was to loud especially when more than one was playing at one time

M.

Small compact museum

E.

Really enjoyed the Jacqueline Fahey exhibition

C.

Wonderful place for children to play in the interactive part. 3 hours flew by!!

A.

Permian monsters was cool, but other exhibitions are getting a bit old.

A.

Maori history included in what appears to be a respectful way that questions what pakeha may have been told to believe...

K.

Great museum full of interesting stuff- The Archimedes exhibition was amazing!

C.

So much to see and especially do in the Exscite Centre for the whole family.

D.

Was niece. Very small. But interesting facts.

X.

Well worth a vist great spot alongside Waikato river

M.

This is a great place for children, my two didn't want to leave.

K.

Staff are second to none in customer service. All smiles despite the insane business of the Easter egg hunt.

F.

Exhibits okay, staff extremely helpful. Some things of interest to children at a cost.

J.

The lady in the reception area is very professional. Quite small museum but very informative

T.

Great exhibitions, really helpful staff

A.

Great place to spend a whole day. Great programs and special exhibitions.

s.

Known place to visit in Hamilton. Good time pass

D.

Always worth a visit and have nat graphs 50 best photos atm-powerful.

K.

What a diverse group of exhibits! Loved the contributions from younger New Zealand artists.

e.

Helpful staff. Nice exhibitions.

S.

Always interesting, helpful-knowledgable friendly staff. Kids area great

G.

My kids absolutely loved the interactive science exhibition.

T.

Helpful staff, thoughtful ways to maintain kids interest in the main exhibitions.

J.

Took the kids on the holidays. Great exhibition. Kids amused doing scavenger hunt.

T.

Free entry to the main exhibits. It was interesting to go round.

P.

We didn't have time to see everything. They have a life sized Waka canoe

E.

Well worth a look if you are in town

C.

Very cool informative, some wow factors and best of all it's free!!!

M.

Go often Although it is small it always has something interesting to see

d.

Great place New exhibition about to open can’t wait

S.

It's free what can you ask for. Nice exhibit

C.

Super exhibits and lots of fun for kids, too!

R.

Awesome place. Had a great time learning about World war 1 history.

G.

Fantastic for kids, otherwise more of an art museum.

A.

Educational.learn about the culture of the area.

A.

Excite science Centre is amazing for kids who love to explore in hands on activities

A.

My son has autism so the hands on display area was awesome

S.

Amazing artworks

T.

Awesome museum

R.

Kids loved excite center and museum good too

K.

Friendly staff. Interactive children sections. Opens all days except X'mas. Within CDB.

P.

Well worth visiting, fantastic exhibitions. Parking available.

O.

Great place to visit. The staff are friendly and give plenty of knowledge.

S.

We went as a school trip, great experience!

L.

Acatully a really cool and exciting museum. Very nice asset for Hamilton.

E.

They have lost an 1880's dress my family gave them

A.

Free entry, great exhibits and friendly staff

I.

Great place suitable for all ages.

K.

Great place to take kids. Lots of interactive activities

M.

Great place to visit for a few hours with older kids

K.

Kids had fun. The staff were very helpful

V.

Wonderful visit with family including my kid

R.

Lots to do for the children and some great exhibits

R.

Great place to visit and look around, team were very good and helpful.

M.

Interactive Galleleo exhibition, top tier

I.

Best ever

N.

Good exhibition of works by Melvin Day, local artist. A visit highlight.

L.

Very well displayed, interesting and fantastic. Highly recommend

P.

A small but excellent collection of different things. Something for everyone.

I.

Nice museum. The best thing is its FREE.

W.

Dumb unless u like dumb things the pool and fountain are great

L.

Free educational fun, there are paid sections which are good too

S.

Wonderful museum, friendly staff and great exhibits

A.

Helpful staff and a mix of art exhibitions and museum space

A.

Nice historic artifacts.

D.

Great family day out, something for everyone.

L.

Great exhibition of Topper Twins very peaceful place.

M.

Thoroughly enjoyed the button making and the costume exhibition.

R.

Okay. Good war memorial. Pity you have to pay for the science part.

J.

Stunning exhibitions in Tainui!!! And great curator too (M)

v.

Kids friendly place, nice place to keep your kids entertained

C.

A must place to visit. Also something interesting to view

D.

My first visit. Very impressed. I'll be back

M.

Free culture and history good on a rainy day, free.

R.

Like it every time friendly atmosphere and great staff

D.

Free access to most of it and exhibits are rotated regularly.

R.

This kids aria is a lot of fun for adults and the kids.

F.

Amazing exhibition of Paul Judd pieces. Beautifully presented

J.

Super friendly and helpful staff. Plenty of parking available.

C.

Really fun place for the kids and also the adults

S.

Great

A.

A wonderful space full of amazing displays!

J.

Wonderful staff, great exhibitions.

E.

Just awesome

N.

Good place for kids to hangout

A.

Loved it! Wonderful place to visit as a family.

C.

Brilliant with the sensory section for the kids

P.

Nice exhibits and friendly service

Q.

this is an amazing visiting. I will visit here again maybe.

z.

Great place to start exploring history of Hamilton city

N.

Excellet exibition and staffs. We visit there at last once a month

R.

A bit small, but has quality exhibitions and displays

E.

Really cool museum! Up there with the capitals.

C.

The kids like the Exscite bit, but nothing ever changes for the kids

N.

Interesting and informative place to visit. Good afternoon thing to do.

I.

Interactive pieces, interesting historic & modern arts, friendly staff

R.

We loved it. What an amazing place

R.

Good history of Hamilton and the Waikato, and decent modern art exhibitions.

P.

Great to learn about the areas history

P.

Very nice place to know more about Maori culture and history

t.

looking into the future abd the past through art and informative, cultural and scientific mediums

R.

Friendly staff. Nice exhibits.

b.

This place is Amazing , and even better it is Free

E.

Great to take the kids on a rainy day

J.

Fabulous

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