As far as commercialized attractions go, this museum exceeds its low-key hype. This museum is outstanding! The rape and pillage perpetrated upon the Kauri forests in the 1800s is a fascinating, if sad, tale…and the museum does a fantastic job bringing to life the extreme hardship of the logging and gum digging eras.
There are HUGE Kauri logs and cross-sections, extensive photo displays, an entire room of functioning saws and other contraptions. The basement Kauri gum display is both beautiful and bizarre. The wall display depicting the relative girths of the Biggest Kauris Ever is superb—it makes Tane Mahuta seem like a babe!
My personal preference would be to bring a visitor here after they’ve seen some native Kauris and read some history and such. This museum fills-in all the holes in your Kauri perspective…but if you’ve never seen one yet, what holes can it fill in?? Others may disagree, but they‘re not writing this guide…hahahaha.
