Cambridge Museum and Historical Society

Cambridge Museum and Historical Society Curious about the histories of the Cambridge area in Waipā?

We preserve, interpret, and share the stories, artefacts, and taonga that connect our community to its past and inspire its future. Located in the Old Courthouse in Victoria Street, the Cambridge Museum aims to preserve Cambridge's rich historical legacy for future generations. In the late 19th century, Cambridge residents started collecting items of local interest relating to historical research,

pre-European settlement, and the development of Cambridge. The Museum now has a fine collection of artefacts and archival material including biographies, historical information on local businesses, clubs, people and societies, buildings information, land and property records, military records (particularly the 3rd Waikato Militia and WWI Cambridge soldiers), school records, family histories and a wealth of photographs, postcards and ephemera.

18/06/2026

This handmade leather item dates from the 1940s. But what is it, and what is its connection to Cambridge?

Take a guess in the comments. We will reveal the answer tomorrow.

Who could this be? This portrait was discovered at the Cambridge Cricket Club, and we are hoping our community can help ...
08/06/2026

Who could this be? This portrait was discovered at the Cambridge Cricket Club, and we are hoping our community can help us solve the mystery.

Was he a prominent cricketer? A club patron? A local resident with connections to early Cambridge? Could the photograph taken of the cricket team in 1887 contain any clues?

Leave a comment below or contact the Museum. We would love to hear your thoughts and see if together we can uncover the story behind this intriguing portrait.

Look familiar? This photograph captures The Tremors in 1965, part of a vibrant local music scene that had teenagers floc...
05/06/2026

Look familiar? This photograph captures The Tremors in 1965, part of a vibrant local music scene that had teenagers flocking to the Buffalo Hall in town.

Perhaps you saw them perform, danced to their music, or have a story to share.

Lead singer David Stone visited the Museum to see our new exhibition, Tune In: Our Sounds, Our Place. During his visit, he was interviewed by Mary Anne Gill for Waikato Business News Link in comments

David also shared his memories with Andrew Johnstone for the Voices of Cambridge oral history archive, helping to preserve an important chapter of our town's musical heritage.

Pop in and see the display for yourself.

04/06/2026

Want to hear more? Visit Cambridge Museum and listen to extracts from Jim Watson's diary on our oral history switchboard. His remarkable story offers a fascinating glimpse into the experiences of a Waikato soldier during the First World War.

And while you are at it, be sure to check out our article in the Cambridge News to discover more of the story behind this intriguing object.

04/06/2026

Another mystery object but what is it, and what does it reveal about Cambridge's past? Comment below with your best guess.

Need a clue? Check out our Backchat article on page 14 of this week's Cambridge News NZ, kindly supported by U3A Cambridge.

The answer will be revealed on Friday.

Congratulations to the team behind the latest edition of Love Cambridge.We are fortunate to have a publication dedicated...
31/05/2026

Congratulations to the team behind the latest edition of Love Cambridge.

We are fortunate to have a publication dedicated to celebrating the people, places, events, and stories that make Cambridge such a special community.

If you have not picked up a copy yet, pop into Cambridge Museum and grab one. Read it yourself, pass it on to a friend, leave it in the lunchroom, or share it with visitors. The more people who discover local stories, the better.

And yes, if you happen to turn to pages 20–21, you will find a feature on some of the photographs in our Collection.

Free copies available now at the Museum.

22/05/2026

Not quite a music box! 🎶

A lot of people guessed this cylinder would have used pins to strike metal notes, like a traditional music box. In fact, the raised sections on the cylinder were designed to move the bellows inside an organ, pushing air through the instrument to create music.

A reminder that before Spotify, music often depended on clever mechanical engineering.

21/05/2026

What is Karen showing you today? 👀

Any guesses what it is and what it was used for? Pop your answers in the comments and we will reveal more tomorrow.

A curious little detail from an old photograph of the Cambridge Town Hall 👀Look closely along the Queen Street side. Tho...
21/05/2026

A curious little detail from an old photograph of the Cambridge Town Hall 👀

Look closely along the Queen Street side. Those attached offices… were they really there, or has someone been a little creative with AI?

What do you think? And does anyone remember these rooms if they did exist?

15/05/2026

And the answer is ...

Sorry for the sound quality on this one, our mic ran out of power. We're still learning the tech!

Address

24 Victoria Street
Cambridge
3434

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm
Sunday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

07 827 3319

Website

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