To protect, share, and preserve Te Whanganui o Hei
Mercury Bay Museum
Open Mon-Sat: 10am to 3pm*
Last admission 2.15pm
* except Christmas/Boxing Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Anzac Day.
Our Heritage
With exhibits about the Polynesian navigator Kupe, Maori artifacts, the Endeavour and James Cook, HMS Buffalo (sunk 1840), kauri timber and gum, the old dairy factory in which the museum is housed, early settlers’ records, natural history, fishing displays and a wonderful photographic collection.
Preserving the rich culture and heritage of Te Whanganui o Hei
EXHIBITIONS
Year Opened
+ Visitors per year
+ Archive Images
%
of Artifacts on Display
What’s On
Tangaroa Talk Night
an event hosted byDepartmentofConservation Thursday, 5th March, 2026from 6.30-8.30pm 882 Purangi Rd, Cooks Beach, Whitianga 3591, New Zealand An evening of inspiring kōrero about moana-related mahi, and what locals are doing to better protect our backyard! Gold coin...
Coastal Community Day
an event hosted byDepartment of Conservation & Thames Coromandel District Libraries Thursday, 28 Feb, 2026from 10am - 2pm Buffalo Beach Rd, Whitianga Join us for a fun, family friendly day celebrating our coastline!Meet local experts, explore hands on...
Becs’ Belgium Adventure
Becs’ BelgiumAdventure Thursday 27th November 5:30pm - Mercury Twin CinemasTickets $5 (Museum Fundraiser) Join Becs from the Mercury Bay Museum and hear all about her recent Belgium adventures to the IKUWA8 Conference, Museums & a WW1 Battlefield Tour.Her trip...
FOLLOW US ON OUR Nautical PROJECT!
HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project 2021
The HMS Buffalo Re-examination Project aims to complete a detailed site survey to provide an accurate interpretation of the HMS Buffalo shipwreck site located in Whitianga, New Zealand.
Winner of the Best Public Archaeology Initiative in Australasia 2023
The wreck site now lies 50 m off Buffalo Beach, Whitianga. The shipwreck is a protected archaeological site under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014.
Our Stories
We Will Remember Them – to walk in their footsteps
In my role as Manager at the Mercury Bay Museum, research is a daily occurrence. Whether it be for a new exhibition, an education programme or just simply a family member enquiring and often looking into history. While researching our World War exhibition in 2024, I...
How I got here | Museum Manager
In a former life, Rebecca Cox worked as a teacher before joining the Mercury Bay Museum as an administrator. It didn’t take long for her to realise she wanted to do more within the museum sector. In 2019 she completed the NZ Certificate in Museums Practice to build on...
Research
Bringing you face to face with our heritage Here at The Mercury Bay Museum, we have an extensive archive of local records.DO YOU HAVE A LONG LOST RELATIVE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT?Here at The Mercury Bay Museum, we have an extensive archive of...
Museum Explorers
Do you love visiting the museum?
We have a fantastic new kids club – Museum Explorers 🕵♂️🕵♀️!!
📔 There are passports to collect along with cool badges to add to them.
🔍 Neat adventures to go on with us at the Museum.
Come in for a visit and join them up – it’s FREE to join, FREE for them to visit but parents/guardians have a small fee to pay.