In 1993, a local community group formed the Paekākāriki Station Precinct Trust to preserve Paekākāriki‘s rapidly declining rail heritage and save the railway station from destruction. The Museum is located in the historic railway station building (built 1909), is administered by the Trust (chaired by Dave Johnson), and run by volunteer hosts.
Popular attractions at the Museum include the village’s railway history, an exhibition about the US Marines who had a training camp here during WWII, and a section on Māori taonga. There is also a range of temporary exhibitions.
In 2023, as part of Forest & Bird’s centenary, an exhibition about Captain Val Sanderson, founder of Forest & Bird and one-time Paekākāriki resident, was displayed. In early 2024, Where is that Mountain? was exhibited, based on Paekākāriki resident Dennis Rose’s research into Pouawha, a local maunga (mountain) alongside Wainui.
After a decade of restoration work, the Trust, with community support, finished renovating the historic signal box in 2008 and returned it to the south end of the station platform. This is now rented to a local artist as a studio.
Kākāriki Book Shop is situated at the south end of the Museum. It specialises in old and rare books along with collections on spirituality, alternative health, railways, Māori, travel, and New Zealand.
The Trust has developed a guided history trail of Paekākāriki, along with an arts walk, which showcases local poets and artists. You can find these on www.Paekākāriki.nz under the Walks & Rides/Walk Nearby section.
The Museum also publishes books on local history, including Michael O’Leary’s Paekākāriki: a short history (2014) and The Streets of Paekakariki and other non-fiction work (2018); Christine Johnson’s Thunder in the mountains: a history of the Paekakariki tunnels (2020); Judith Galtry’s Captain Sanderson: a visionary among the Paekākāriki dunes (2023); and Frances Cherry: Washing up in Paekākāriki (2024). There are also several online stories of local characters on www./xplorepaekakariki.org.nz and www.Paekākāriki.nz.
The Museum has a selection of archival material available for viewing.
If you would like to volunteer time to host visitors at the Museum during opening hours, then do get in touch!
Open: 11am-3pm weekends and public holidays.
Admission is by donation.
Groups and special visits can be arranged.
Free WiFi , information and toilets for visitors are also available.
