1 / 3Pounamu Pathway, The Museum of Kawatiri
📍 Westport, West Coast
Best for curious school-age kids and a rainy Westport afternoon. A Weta Workshop-built museum telling the Buller district's story through four immersive zones, a walk-in mine and a colossal squid.
Fantastic museum to read about the history of the area. Incredibly informative and well presented. The displays were amazing and included a video you could sit and watch. $25 to enter the museum (cheaper for seniors and children) but well worth the money to learn about the history and support the local economy. The gift shop had plenty of souvenirs. I particularly liked the coal figurines and purchased a couple. Wheelchair friendly.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
The best indoor hour in Westport for a family, and the right way to set up the Denniston mine visit up the hill. Younger children get the mine, the squid and the sound and light; readers get the full story. Pair it with Denniston the same day.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →242 Google reviews
Steph W
“Fantastic museum to read about the history of the area. Incredibly informative and well presented. The displays were amazing and included a video you could sit and watch. $25 to enter the museum (cheaper for seniors and children) but well worth the money to learn about the history and support the local economy. The gift shop had plenty of souvenirs. I particularly liked the coal figurines and purchased a couple. Wheelchair friendly.”
Bronson Dredge
“What a great museum! Full of great exhibits and loads of information about the rich mining history on the west coast. There is a mine exhibit you can go into and watch a neat video showing the old mine operations. We spend about an hour here but you could spend a bit longer if you read everything. Adults $10, children under 5 are free. If you are visiting Westport make sure you pop in here and brush up on the history.”
Catherine Meaclem
“We had a great morning with Rama who showed the students around the museum and gave a great talk about the collosal squid exhibition. Rama was fantastic with the tamariki and very knowledgeable about everything on offer to see at the museum.”
Bev Bellas
“Very informative and well presented museum! Well worth the visit. Go to Denniston after the museum. Interesting and amazing views!”
Reviews from Google
Overview
The Museum of Kawatiri opened on Palmerston Street in 2024 as the Westport stop on the Pounamu Pathway, a partnership between Poutini Ngāi Tahu and Weta Workshop. Four zones run from Polynesian settlement through the gold and coal booms to the district's people, told with Weta's props, film and sound rather than glass cases. Kids gravitate to the walk-in mine exhibit and the colossal squid. Allow about an hour. Under-fives are free and the building is wheelchair friendly.
