1 / 3Pounamu Pathway, The Museum of Kawatiri
๐ Westport, West Coast
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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.
๐ 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.
โน๏ธ What to Know Before You Go
๐ฌ What Families Are Saying
View all reviews โ242 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
Catherine Meaclem
7 months ago
โWe 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.โ
Emily Smith
3 months ago
โWe spent a nice hour wandering around here this afternoon. It is a small museum (nice and warm though!) looking at the history of coal mining in the area. Very modern and lots to look at. Would recommend.โ
Steph W
a year ago
โFantastic 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.โ
๐ Commonly mentioned in Google reviews
Based on Google review tagsCoal mining history
21 reviews
Helpful staff
11 reviews
Entry fee
8 reviews
Small museum
7 reviews
History of the area
5 reviews
Overview
The Museum of Kawatiri opened on Palmerston Street in 2024 as the Westport stop on the Pounamu Pathway, a partnership between Poutini Ngฤi 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.
