Toitū Otago Settlers Museum

Toitū Otago Settlers Museum One of New Zealand's most significant social history museums Encounter history at the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. FREE entry.
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Learn about the people whose character, culture, technology, art, fashion,
and transport shaped New Zealand’s First Great City, Dunedin. Open daily 10am-5pm except Christmas Day. Charges may apply to special exhibitions. We welcome your comments and discussion on our page. Please be polite and respectful with your comments and views. Any comments or posts which contain profanities are automatical

ly blocked from our page and we may remove comments which are disrespectful, abusive or considered spam. This page is not to be used for electioneering – any election campaign related posts will be removed. Social media posts, messages and responses are records and may be retained under the Public Records Act. Personal data is subject to the DCC’s Privacy Statement – www.dunedin.govt.nz/privacypolicy

30/05/2026

Episode 76 of Talking Pictures picks up where we left off last time, revisiting the studio of Edinburgh photographer and portrait painter John Horsburgh in search of more works with Otago connections.

🌿 Looking for something a little different this Sunday?✨ Come along to a relaxed afternoon of music and movement with Ba...
30/05/2026

🌿 Looking for something a little different this Sunday?

✨ Come along to a relaxed afternoon of music and movement with Balfolk Dunedin in the light-filled Josephine Foyer.

💃 Curious but not sure what to expect? No problem — each dance is gently introduced so you can jump in and enjoy at your own pace.

🎶 Balfolk Dunedin — a fresh take on traditional folk dancing.

🕑 2pm – 3.30pm, Sunday 31 May
📍 Josephine Foyer, Free

💚 Bring a friend or just bring your curiosity and give it a go.

🎉 Happy 150th birthday to Speight's from the team at Toitū!✨ We can’t exactly pop this giant wooden 'bottle' open to cel...
26/05/2026

🎉 Happy 150th birthday to Speight's from the team at Toitū!

✨ We can’t exactly pop this giant wooden 'bottle' open to celebrate (though apparently someone in the past once had a crack at it with an axe), but we can still raise it to toast you on your sesquicentennial.

🥳The bottle is thought to have come from the old Blueskin Hotel in Evansdale and was gifted to Toitū a couple of years ago. We haven’t found the right spot to put it on display just yet, so we figured this milestone was the perfect excuse to share it with you here instead.

All Images: Collection of Toitū Otago Settlers Museum

24/05/2026

Thanks to Dunedin Harmony Chorus for their enjoyable performance today. Many a boat was rowed today. 🚣 😊

🎉 TODAY’S THE DAY! International Museum Day @ Toitū Looking for something special to do today? From 10am, join us for a ...
16/05/2026

🎉 TODAY’S THE DAY! International Museum Day @ Toitū

Looking for something special to do today? From 10am, join us for a full day of FREE discovery, creativity and family fun.

✨ Strike gold with gold panning
🏛️ Take on museum trails and interactive challenges
👗 Explore stunning fashion in Eden in Dunedin
📸 Dress up, snap a vintage photo & get crafty
🎈 Be amazed by balloon creations from Pippity Pop

Whether you pop in for an hour or make a day of it, there’s plenty waiting for you.

⏰ Doors open 10am
📍 Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
🆓 Free entry

👉 See you soon!

👗 Fashion lovers, this one’s for youThis Sunday as we celebrate International Museum Day, step inside Eden in Dunedin an...
15/05/2026

👗 Fashion lovers, this one’s for you

This Sunday as we celebrate International Museum Day, step inside Eden in Dunedin and discover spectacular New Zealand designer fashion up close.

✨ Join a special free tour at 12.30pm with
Dr Jane Malthus + Toitū Exhibitions & Collections Manager Jane Macknight
🎨 Get inspired and try velvet painting
🔍 Spot stunning materials with the Fabulous Fabric Finder

From all kinds of fabrics to behind the scenes stories — it’s a must see.

📅 Sunday 17 May
📍 Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
🆓 Free

✨ International Museum Day @ Toitū This Sunday, we’re bursting with hands on fun, creativity and discovery — and it’s al...
14/05/2026

✨ International Museum Day @ Toitū

This Sunday, we’re bursting with hands on fun, creativity and discovery — and it’s all FREE 🙌

🗺️ Travel Around the Museum in 80 Objects
👗 Go fabric spotting with our Fabulous Fabric Finder
📸 Dress up and pose in the Smith Gallery photobooth
🎈 Be wowed by balloon creations from Pippity Pop

Slow down, explore, play — and see Toitū in a whole new way.

📅 Sunday 17 May | From 10am
📍 Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
🆓 Free

✨ This Sunday: International Museum Day at Toitū Only a few days to go!This Sunday, we're throwing open the doors for a ...
12/05/2026

✨ This Sunday: International Museum Day at Toitū
Only a few days to go!

This Sunday, we're throwing open the doors for a day packed with discovery, creativity and hands on fun – and it’s all FREE 🙌

Whether you’re keen to strike gold (literally 🪙), step into stunning New Zealand fashion, or just enjoy a joyful day out with the whānau... International Museum Day is your perfect excuse to explore Toitū in new ways.

🔎 Go behind the scenes with our expert educators
🎨 Get creative with crafts and velvet painting
📸 Dress up, strike a pose and take home a memory
🎈 Be surprised by balloon creations inspired by Toitū
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Activities for kids, grown ups and everyone in between

No bookings. No entry fee. Just a full day of stories, skills and surprises in the heart of Ōtepoti.

📅 Sunday 17 May | From 10am
📍 Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
🆓 Free

👉 Tag who you’re bringing and start planning your Sunday adventure!

International Museum Day @ Toitū Eden in Dunedin: Tour by Dr Jane Malthus Meet at Toitū’s Auditorium to start your tour ...
11/05/2026

International Museum Day @ Toitū
Eden in Dunedin: Tour by Dr Jane Malthus

Meet at Toitū’s Auditorium to start your tour with a look at how the exhibition was delivered. Toitū Exhibitions and Collections Manager Jane Macknight will share insights into this process before Dr Jane Malthus will lead a tour into Eden in Dunedin and share her knowledge about the collection.

Dr Jane Malthus is a patron and member of the steering group for Eden H**e Central Otago, who has been working with the collection since the 1980s. Dr Jane Malthus has an academic background spanning textiles, clothing and fashion, history, and fine arts. Her research focuses on how dress and textiles intersect with social, cultural, and historical contexts, particularly in relation to nineteenth- and twentieth-century New Zealand.
12.30pm, Sunday 17 May
Toitū Auditorium
Free

International Museum Day @ Toitū Interactive Museum Challenge!Join Dunedin educator and long-time friend of Toitū, John ...
10/05/2026

International Museum Day @ Toitū
Interactive Museum Challenge!

Join Dunedin educator and long-time friend of Toitū, John Neumegen, for an exciting interactive museum challenge suitable for primary-aged children and adults alike. Why not involve the whole whanau? Begin your adventure by exploring our ‘Gold Gold Gold’ exhibition, take in the iconic Cobb & Co coach, then head to the Research Centre where you’ll be transported back to the Otago goldfields for a truly immersive experience.

In these unique challenges, each small group will make a series of choices between alternate options all of which reflect the situations faced by real-life early gold seekers and coach drivers. Sound decision-making is rewarded with tokens but beware … there are unexpected twists and turns along the way! Which groups will come out on top?

10.30am: Gold Miners Challenge
Step into the year 1861 and set off for Gabriel’s Gully in search of fortune, just like thousands of hopeful prospectors. Brave harsh conditions, overcome obstacles, and discover that striking gold can come with unexpected risks…

1pm: Coach Driver Challenge
Take the reins in 1862 as a Cobb & Co coach driver. Transport passengers and mail from Dunedin to the Dunstan goldfields, navigating unpredictable terrain and a series of tough decisions along the way.
Don’t miss this one-off adventure, meet us at Toitū for a memorable journey into Otago’s gold rush past!

10.30am and 1pm, Sunday 17 May
Toitū Research Centre
Free, limited spaces

Address

31 Queens Gardens
Dunedin
9016

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+6434775052

Website

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