Preserving the past

A plethora of displays showcasing artefacts, machinery, clothing, and more from a bygone era greet visitors as they step into the museum. Many of these items have been generously donated by local families, whose ancestors played pivotal roles in shaping the district into what it is today.

You’ll love the beautifully presented displays of colonial history that date back to the 1800s. These provide visitors with a realistic glimpse of the rich, varied and interesting history of Warkworth and its surrounding districts.

The proud team of busy volunteers who run the museum are constantly developing and changing our museum exhibitions to put the best, most interesting or relevant items on display. Fragile items can only be exposed to light for a limited time hence the need for constant change.

Permanent museum exhibitions

The museum has a number of permanent exhibitions. These displays focus on the early settlement of the area from the first Māori inhabitants to the arrival of European settlers in search of opportunities and a new life. You’ll get an insight into the lives and pursuits of our pioneering families.

The main museum building comprises two floors packed with items of interest to all. On the first floor, there are re-created rooms of the 1920s. You’ll find a corner store, kitchen, bedrooms, sitting room, carpentry and blacksmith workshops and a wash house showing the furniture, clothing and tools of yesteryear. There is also a large range of men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel and household items dating from the late 1700s. Fine needlework, hats, accessories, and much more make up this significant collection.

Another section showcases the development of Warkworth and its surrounding areas. It highlights key events in the district’s history and early industry, such zs kauri logging, flour milling, farming, horticulture, boat-building and cement manufacturing.

Outdoor displays

Visitors can explore a variety of outdoor displays. Check out a bushman’s hut with a shingle roof. In an open shed, you’ll find a large kauri log on a bullock cart, alongside a recently reconstructed foot-powered grindstone for sharpening tools. Miscellaneous agricultural and horticultural items are housed here varying in size from a horse-drawn hay mower to cattle branding irons, chaff cutters and grain mills, pitch forks and hay rakes. These displays offer insight into the lifestyles and industries of early settlers and the tools and equipment used for everyday tasks.

There are also two army huts built to house the many US Marine Corps soldiers who came to the Warkworth area in 1942 for training before the invasion of the Japanese-held islands in the Pacific.

The old Warkworth jail, a pair of stocks, a long drop, a traditional red-painted phone box and the old Mahurangi East Post Office make up the collection.

Get busy with it

The Warkworth Museum isn’t just a place for passive ‘don’t touch’ observation. During school holidays, children can partake in hands-on activities, from scavenger hunts to pest footprinting finds and the exploration of old technology. Children of all ages can enjoy learning about local history.

Take a sneak peek

If you have thought about visiting the Warkworth Museum but still need a little more encouragement, Chris Hewitt recorded his recent visit. Take a look.

Make a day of it

Just off the Warkworth Museum car park, you can enjoy a picnic and a stroll through the stunning kauri groves. The newly renovated boardwalk will take you right through and it is wheelchair and pushchair friendly. Pick up an information brochure about the park from the Warkworth Museum gift shop. The museum opens daily from 10 am – 3 pm.

But wait there’s more

What visitors see on display is just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes, tucked away in hidden nooks and specialist rooms, lie even more fascinating relics of the past. From a special ‘wardrobe’ room filled with fashions from yesteryears to a treasure trove of documents, books, and photos in the archives room, the museum offers a comprehensive glimpse into times gone by.