| Address | In Story Place, near the centre of Taupo. Turn into the park at the traffic lights on State Highway and follow the signs to the museum Postal Address: Taupo Museum, Taupo District Council, PO Box 2005, Taupo 3352 |
| Region | Taupo/King Country |
| Privately owned or public | Public |
| Email | |
| Phone | +64 7 376 0414 |
| Fax | +64 7 378 9150 |
| Contact Person | Karen Williams |
| Website | www.taupomuseum.co.nz |
| Hours | Taupo Museum is open daily from 10 am to 4:30pm; Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. |
| Garden Size | 120 square metres |
| Price | $5 adults, $3 seniors, students, large groups and bus tours. $2 extra per person if you book a guided tour. |
| Brochure Available? | Yes, along with a full plant list. |
| Parking | 60 minutes parking in front of the museum. 2.5 hours free parking nearby. A disabled parking space close to the main entrance. |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Food Available | No |
| Cafe/Restaurant available? | No |
| Seating | There are tables and chairs in the Ora courtyard. For functions we also have up to 100 chairs & a selection of tables available |
| Picnics | Please feel free to bring your own picnic and lunch in the Ora courtyard, however, no food or drink is allowed inside the museum |
| Wheelchair Access | Wheelchair access to the museum and to most display areas |
| Dogs Allowed | No dogs please |
| Children Allowed | We welcome children of all ages and have a range of free activities available. We also offer visiting school groups a wide range of programmes inspired by our exhibits including the Ora garden at a small cost |
| Accommodation | No, but we are happy to recommend accommodation in the area. |
| Weddings | The venue is very suitable for wedding receptions |
| Plant/Other Sales | Nga Taonga Iti, the museum shop, features a lovely selection of quality New Zealand-made souvenirs. In most exhibitions there are NZ artworks for sale from the Art Gallery |
| Guided Tours | Yes, on request for a $2 fee. On Sundays, a guided historical walk of the Tongariro Domain is available at 2pm - meet at the museum reception ($5 includes museum entry) |
| Function center? | Yes |
| Winery? | No |
| Other Facilities | The attractive courtyard space alongside the Ora Garden is available for use for workshops, as a classroom space, in house functions and is also available to hire.
The venue is most suitable for cocktail parties, wedding receptions, concerts and small corporate functions.
Art Gallery.
This attractive space features changing exhibitions showcasing original art by local and New Zealand artists. From quilting, fibre arts, painting, photography to sculpture - there is always something of interest on show.
Discover Taupo Museum's treasures and share the unique history, culture and stories of our community.
Relax for 10 minutes and watch the Taupo Story - an audio-visual presentation offering a view of how this area has developed over time.
Browse through our pleasant galleries and find out more about the district's fascinating natural and human history. |
Map
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The GardenThe six-member design team who took it to London with the help of Tourism New Zealand was led by designer Kim Jarrett. Other team members included plant designer Trish Waugh, her husband landscape designer Doug Waugh, Maori artist, carver Lyonel Grant, artist Tina Hart and greens master Brian Massey.
It was the original design who established the remarkable New Zealand garden permanently at Taupo Museum. Ora's strong design elements encapsulate traditional Maori spiritual qualities and the brilliant planting scheme illustrates the natural layering of native plants found in nature.
This is the '100% Pure New Zealand Ora - Garden of Wellbeing' a living exhibit which opened to the public in Taupo in November 2006.
"If a visitor to Aotearoa could see only one garden to gain a sense of our bush and our cultural history the 100% Pure New Zealand Ora - Garden of Wellbeing in Taupo is the one I'd recommend."
NZ Gardening personality Maggie Barry, AA Magazine 101 Must Do Weekends, October 2008. |
The GardenerAfter the Ora Garden won a gold medal at the 'plant Olympics' (London's Chelsea Flower Show in 2004), its original design elements including the artwork, silica terraces and paving were returned to New Zealand. This stunning central North Island themed garden was purchased by the local community and the Taupo District Council. The garden was installed in late 2006 at the museum by the original design team and officially opened in March 2007.
Museum volunteers are an integral part of our day to day activities contributing many hours per year to assist with the upkeep of this gold-medal winning garden which has been declared a Garden of National Significance by the NZ Gardens Trust.
Taupo District Council horticultural staff maintain the other fine gardens nearby in the Tongariro Domain including the Rose Garden next door to the museum and the South Domain gardens of regional significance. |