Free day inside the restored Rotorua Museum on Saturday 21 November

By the Explore Rotorua news desk · Published Thursday 12 November 2026

The restored Rotorua Museum building in the Government Gardens will be open to everyone for one day on Saturday 21 November, with free entry, live music, food trucks and family activities outside.

When

Saturday 21 November, 10am to 3pm; museum doors open at 10.30am, last entry 3pm

Where

Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa Rotorua Museum, Government Gardens

Cost

Free entry; behind-the-scenes talks $10, booked in advance

Parking

Free event parking in the Government Gardens, including accessible parks

Parts of the building have been shut to the public for almost a decade, so this is a rare chance to walk through the finished restoration work. The museum itself is not expected to reopen until mid-to-late 2028, and the open day also offers a preview of the displays being planned for when it does.

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said in the council’s release, “Our Rotorua Museum is such a treasure for our community, and this event is an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come on the journey to fixing the building and reopening it once again for all to enjoy.”

Talks from the restoration team

The project team will give two talks of an hour each, at 11am and 2pm, on the restoration job and the exhibition plans. Each session has room for only 47 people and tickets cost $10, so book a talk ticket ahead of the day.

Helping fund the exhibitions

The Friends of the Museum will be raising money for the exhibition programme with raffle tickets, a retail stand, online donations and a silent auction. Up for auction are a limited-edition Dick Frizzell print, signed by the artist, and an original work by Toni Armstrong.

Watts & Hughes Construction, the main contractor on the restoration, will match donations made by the public on the day, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000.

Before you go

• Entry to the building will be managed, so expect queues at the busiest times.
• You can take a water bottle inside, but no food.
• Picnics in the gardens are fine, but keep off the Rotorua Bowling Club and Croquet Club lawns.
• The day goes ahead whatever the weather, though some outdoor activities may not.
• Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help, and the council will post updates on its Facebook page.

Explore Rotorua news desk: news@explorerotorua.nz. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we’ll correct it.