1 Grantham Street.
Hamilton, New Zealand

The Visual Arts Collection is made up of nearly 2500 artworks. This Collection dates from the early years of European settlement with particular emphasis on images and artists of the Waikato region.

Our Tangata Whenua Collection has over 30,000 objects relating to Tainui, and other neighbouring iwi. Objects include wood and stone carving, flax weaving, adzes, waka, korowai, taiaha, ritual and archaeological materials. The Collection illustrates Maori life from the first Polynesian settlers to the initial European contact period.

The Science Collection is made up of a varied mix of purpose built interactive resources and natural history specimens. It reflects the past direction for the Museum, which initially had an art and history focus. Later, with the involvement of the Exscite Trust, the Science Collection expanded to include some exciting resources, including interactive models for children to explore scientific principles through play. We are now taking science at the Waikato Museum in an exciting new direction, making natural history a focus of what's on offer. This, and our commitment for science to make up a quarter of the Museum offer, means our Science Collection is now expanding to include natural history specimens.

Our Social History collection has over 25,000 social history objects, many of which relate to Hamilton's local history. Main elements in the collection are of Waikato/Tainui regional history and development, such as the arrival of missionaries and agriculture. There is a collection of 13,000 historical photographs (accessible through the index at Hamilton City Library), along with artefacts related to Beale Cottage and MV Rangiriri historical vessel.