Outdoor Museum
Our “beyond the walls” philosophy means there is plenty to see inside and outside the museum. Our grounds overlooking the Uretara Stream feature a Māori Medicinal Garden (Te Rongoa), our traditional English herb garden, and the Katikati jail from 1880.
We encourage our community to harvest from the Rongoa and Herb Garden.
All of the totem poles adjacent to the Museum building were created by local students as welcoming messages to visitors from all over world.
Tamawhariua (Traditional Māori Carving)
Depicts Tamawhariua tupuna (ancestor) of local hapū Ngai Tamawhariua. Has whakapapa (ancestry) to hapū of Tauranga Moana. Carved from locally owned pine.
Pā Harakeke
In 2019, we worked with Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and mana whenua to develop our first Pā Harakeke (located behind our Museum on the banks of the Uretara Stream). This led to further collaborative projects whereby we helped in the development of Pā Harakeke with the three local hapū: Ngāi Tamawhariua, Ngāti Te Wai, and Te Whānau ā Tauwhao.
Harvesting from the Pā Harakeke is reserved for mana whenua with requests to be directed to key raranga (weavers).
We acknowledge: Creative Communities Scheme and Manaaki Whenua for their support of this initiative.
