What We Do

Following a closure for significant mahi, we re-opened on 12 December 2024 with improved facilities, new exhibitions, and an updated name: Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery.

‘Te Whare Taonga o Waikato’ has always been part of our organisation’s name. When the building first opened on this site in 1987, it was called the Waikato Museum of Art and History, with the byline Te Whare Taonga o Waikato. It was changed to Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato nearly 20 years ago back in 2006.

Now, we’ve shifted the emphasis and expanded the name to include both Museum and Gallery so that it encompasses our pillars of expertise: science, history, art, and tangata whenua.

Leading with our reo Maaori name allows us to place the concept of ‘taonga’ at the heart of our identity. This kupu has rich meaning and can’t be translated into one English word. It can refer to both tangible items and intangible ideas. It links to our role as kaitiaki, the 30,000+ items in our care, and our ambition to weave stories of the past with creative expressions that inspire and shape the future.