Toitu Otago Settlers Museum is a regional history museum located in Dunedin, New Zealand.
The museum's brief covers the territory of the old Otago Province, which is New Zealand from the Waitaki River south, although its main focus is the city of Dunedin. It is New Zealand's oldest history museum, founded in 1898 by the Otago Early Settlers' Association, on the 50th anniversary of the Scottish settlement of Otago. Initially, the museum was concerned only with the Maori that originally lived and owned the land of New Zealand, specifically those who arrived between 1848 and the first of the Otago gold rushes in 1861. However, the institution gradually enlarged its scope to include later arrivals.
The museum underwent extensive renovations during 2011 and 2012, reopening to the public with a new name, Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. The museum is dedicated to telling the story of the people of Dunedin and the surrounding area, whose character, culture, technology, art, fashion, and transport shaped New Zealand. The museum is a museum of social history, and its exhibits cover a wide range of topics, including the history, culture, technology, and transportation of the Otago region.
Visitors to the museum can expect to see an impressive range of exhibits that take them from pre-European times through to the gold boom and even offer a glimpse into life in New Zealand in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The museum covers Otago with a particular focus on Dunedin. Unlike some other museums, visitors don't just have to read endless explanations. It's interactive and fun, and it teaches visitors something about the way society has evolved in Dunedin (and Otago in general), from ancient Maori settlements to modern times.
The Toitu Otago Settlers Museum is a perfect rainy day activity in Dunedin for tourists and locals alike, and Dunedin has its fair share of rainy days! It's free to visit and is open from 10 am to 5 pm. Visitors should make sure to get a map to guide them through the museum. Overall, the museum is a great place to learn about the history of Dunedin and the Otago region, and visitors are sure to leave with a greater appreciation for the area's rich cultural heritage.