Discover the history of Waitaki and the people over the ages who shaped the place we see today.

Designed by Forrester and Lemon, this handsome structure began its life in 1882 as the Ōamaru Athenaeum (a subscription library) and Mechanics Institute. It replaced an earlier athenaeum, circa 1867, on the same site. When the new public library was built, the building became a museum and archive to serve the district.

The Waitaki Museum tells the stories of the natural and cultural history of the Waitaki District with 3 new exhibition spaces:

• Our Land Tō Tātau Whenua
• Kā Puipuiaki o Korotuaheka
• European Settlement

Visit us for a sample of Waitaki district’s geology; the taonga of the district, including the Waitaha Taoka | Stewart Willetts Family Collection; the story of Ngai Tahu; and European arrival.