Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum

19/03/2026

Kia ora Easter campers. For any groups of 4 or more staying at Duvauchelle or Okains Bay Campground one adult receives free admission to the Okains Bay Museum. Under 13 year olds are also free. Our special Easter egg treasure hunt is a fun way of exploring the exhibits 🐣

🐣 Easter Adventure Awaits on the Banks Peninsula!
Looking for the perfect Easter getaway with the whānau? Come and experience everything the stunning Banks Peninsula has to offer and create a mountain of memories this long weekend.
Book your stay at Duvauchelle Holiday Park or Okains Bay Campground and take advantage of our Easter Special:

🌟 Stay 3 nights and get the 4th night FREE! 🌟
That means more time to relax, explore, and enjoy everything the Peninsula has to offer.
And it wouldn’t be Easter without a little fun…
🐰 Join us for our Easter Egg Hunt at Okains Bay Campground on Sunday! A great activity for the kids (and the young at heart).

While you’re here, make the most of these fantastic local experiences:
🌌 Akaroa Stargazing– Explore the incredible night skies and receive 10% off bookings between 1–8 April using the promo code CAMPGROUND when booking online.
🐬Akaroa Dolphins – Guests staying with us over Easter receive 10% off dolphin tours. Simply mention the code LocalCampgroundEaster10% when emailing to make your booking.
⛴️ Black Cat Cruises – Kids Cruise FREE in Akaroa this Easter! Use promo code FREEKIDS when booking.
🏛️ Visit Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum – A fascinating look into local history. Kids under 13 are FREE
🥾 Get outdoors and explore
• Wander through the beautiful Hinewai Reserve
• Try the Rhino Walk at Children’s Bay
• Take an easy family walk to Little Okains Bay or Ōnawe Pā
There is so much to see and do on the Banks Peninsula — so what are you waiting for whānau?
📅 Don’t wait, book now to secure your campsite for Easter!
🌐 https://okainsbaycamp.co.nz/
🌐 https://duvauchelleholidaypark.co.nz/

15/02/2026

Congratulations to the 3 winners of Okains Bay Museum’s Waitangi Day fundraising hampers. Today, museum visitor host Raukohe Hallett and our patron Nigel Hampton KC drew the names of 3 winners out of the kete: Jo from Le Bons Bay, Andy from Ilam, and Lisa from Kaikoura. Our thanks go to everyone who bought a ticket and helped raise over $2,000 for the museum. Again, we thank Banks Peninsula businesses for their generous prize donations:

13/02/2026

With much sadness, the Okains Bay Museum board, staff, and wider museum whānau acknowledge the recent passing of Nigel Harrison. Passionate about local history and heritage, we were fortunate to enjoy Nigel’s support for our mahi over many years including during his brief stint as a member of our trust board. Our thoughts are with his whānau at this sad time. Moe mai rā e te rangatira.

12/02/2026

Tickets for our Waitangi Day fundraising hampers are still on sale at the museum. If unable to get to the bay before the draw on Sunday 15 Feb, dm us to be in with a chance to win. Each hamper has been beautifully woven by museum visitor host Raukohe Hallett. Two are packed with vouchers for exciting outdoor adventures, fine dining experiences and other goodies - all generously donated by Banks Peninsula businesses. The third hamper holds a valuable collection of books about our local history generously donated by Ngāi Tahu Archives. Funds raised from the hampers will go towards the preservation of museum collections and heritage buildings. BIG thanks to everyone who's bought a ticket so far, and to our magnanimous business donors. We SO appreciate your support.

07/02/2026

In addition to thanking all volunteers who made yesterday’s Family Fun Waitangi Day such a success, we’d like to give a special shout out to the Hampton and Thacker families. From organising the tearoom, museum office, sausage sizzle, geology and FENZ demos, to hotly contested races, they were onto it! Gold medals go to 🥇museum patron Nigel Hampton KC for his authoritative announcements throughout the day🎤 and for adjudicating the tug-o-war. To Judy Thacker 🥇 for her calming presence and unparalleled organisational skills. And to 🥇Board Member John Thacker who sweated it out in the forge, showing young visitors what it takes to be a smithy 🔥⚒️ Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

07/02/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUb5h-OEtVy/?igsh=OWp4MWpobmRnOXI4

06/02/2026

Ngā mihi nui mō ō mahi i tēnei rā.

Thank you so much to our amazing volunteers, staff, and wider museum whānau who worked tirelessly today to ensure our 50th Waitangi Day commemorations were a success. Expect some more photos in the coming days but for now here’s to our team!

04/02/2026

It is the South Island's biggest and longest-running commemoration of Waitangi Day, beginning in 1976.

Read more ⬇

04/02/2026

04/02/2026