Tūhura Otago Museum

Table of Contents

Introduction

Tūhura Otago Museum, located in Dunedin, New Zealand, sits at 419 Great King Street in the heart of the city. Positioned close to the University of Otago campus and nestled within Museum Reserve, this institution invites visitors from near and far to explore a rich world of natural sciences, cultural treasures and interactive discovery. Whether you are local to the region or traveling from overseas, Tūhura Otago Museum offers an inspiring destination full of curiosity and wonder.

About the Museum

Tūhura Otago Museum is one of the largest museums in New Zealand, founded in 1868 and housing more than 1.5 million objects collected over more than one hundred and fifty years. Its name “Tūhura,” gifted in 2022 by local rūnaka, means “to discover, investigate and explore” in Māori, reflecting its mission to inspire curiosity through learning and bicultural engagement.

The museum features seven long‑term galleries that cover natural history, regional geology and international cultural heritage. In the Southern Land, Southern People gallery visitors can encounter geological stories of Otago and view New Zealand’s largest fossil, a plesiosaur. The Tangata Whenua gallery showcases Southern Māori taoka including a carved seventeen‑metre war canoe and greenstone artefacts. The Nature gallery displays the region’s flora and fauna, and the museum holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of articulated moa skeletons and two of the few complete moa eggs in existence.

Other galleries include the Victorian‑style Animal Attic containing nearly three thousand taxidermy specimens such as the famous Lawrence lions, the People of the World gallery with artefacts such as an ancient Egyptian mummy and ethnographic collections from across the globe, the Pacific Cultures gallery featuring items like masks and Kiribati armour, and the Maritime gallery with model ships and a historic fin whale skeleton.

Adjacent to the galleries is the Tūhura Science Centre, the largest science centre in New Zealand and the only bicultural science centre in the world. It includes over forty‑five interactive exhibits such as a three‑storey indoor slide, a bike‑riding skeleton, physics and technology displays, and the immersive Tropical Forest—a three‑level butterfly rainforest with hundreds of live exotic butterflies, tropical plants and a waterfall over five metres tall. The centre also includes the only three‑dimensional planetarium theatre in Australasia, offering live shows and astronomy presentations for children and adults.

The museum also houses a café and shop, and offers daily guided tours and mini‑tours led by passionate staff. Free guided tours are available daily, while special behind‑the‑scenes or themed mini‑tours are offered at no charge or for a small fee.

Interesting Facts

The museum’s collection includes two of the only three complete moa eggs known to exist in the world.
It is home to the world’s most comprehensive exhibit of articulated moa skeletons, making it a global hub for moa heritage.
The Tūhura Science Centre is New Zealand’s largest and the world’s only bicultural science centre, integrating Kai Tahu Māori creation stories alongside modern science exhibits.
Visitors can stroll through a three‑level tropical rainforest under a sky bridge, complete with hundreds of live exotic butterflies and a waterfall over five metres tall.
The museum features a Victorian‑inspired Animal Attic filled with around three thousand taxidermy specimens, including lions that famously escaped from a travelling circus in 1978.
Its planetarium is the only 3D planetarium in Australasia, offering immersive space shows and live astronomy experiences.

Photo Gallery

Physical Location

Contact Details

Phone: +643 474 7474

Website: otagomuseum.nz/

Facebook: facebook.com/OtagoMuseum/

Conclusion

Tūhura Otago Museum presents a vibrant blend of science, culture and discovery in a beautiful historic building at the heart of Dunedin. Visitors can journey from fossils and moa skeletons to Māori treasures and interactive science adventures all under one roof. The museum’s commitment to both bicultural storytelling and hands‑on learning ensures that every visitor—whether young or old—finds something to inspire imagination.

Whether you take a guided tour, explore independently, or spend time in the lush Tropical Forest or engaging planetarium, a visit to Tūhura Otago Museum is sure to leave you richer in knowledge and wonder. It is a destination that celebrates the past, reveals wonders of nature, and embraces the spirit of discovery for everyone.