Te Aroha Museum nestling under the sacred mountain is a little gem, not to be missed by visitors. It takes you on a nostalgic walk down ‘Memory Lane’, where the past meets the present, and where the stories of the people who made Te Aroha what it is today unfold.

The museum is situated in the historic Cadman Building that was opened in 1898 by the Government Tourist Bureau as a bathhouse.

It was where people from far and wide came to ‘Take the Waters’ for their aches and ailments, pre-Rotorua. Set in the beautiful grounds of the historic Victorian/Edwardian Domain, the Cadman captures the visitor’s eye with a real sense of the heyday of this delightful little town.

Such an historic building is therefore a fitting place to house the history, artifacts and archives of Te Aroha and District, especially the spa history. The museum is home to a diverse collection of local artifacts, films and archives, from farming, flax mills and gold mines to a large photographic collection, photographs that show what life was like over a hundred years ago, evoking nostalgic memories for many visitors.

Open seven days a week, except for Christmas Day, Good Friday, and ANZAC Day morning, the museum hours are as follows:

Winter
Easter to Labour weekend
12 noon - 3pm daily

Summer
Labour weekend to Easter
11am - 4pm daily

Admission
Adults $5, children 5-16 years $2, family 2 adults with up to 4 children $14

Groups welcome by arrangement