Top 10 Museums in Otago Region, South Island

Toitū Otago Settlers Museum is a museum of social history 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’s first great city.Its fourteen themed galleries feature interactive displays and powerful narratives tracing the human history of the area, from the earliest settlers to the most recent arrivals.Captivating exhibitions are complemented by an on site shop and café. A well-equipped research centre and archive is available for those interested in genealogy and other aspects of local history.

A little gem in The Catlins, artist Blair Somerville's intricately crafted automata are wonderfully irreverent. The bamboozling collection in the house bus ($ free) is a teaser for the brilliantly eccentric Winding Thoughts Theatre ($8). Push buttons, wind handles, all is about movement here (Entry 13+ yrs). For coffee and bakeries, say hi to Carol in the Little Rocket and cuddle Ginny the Gypsy dog. Open in summer (end Oct – end April). Wednesdays closed.

Learn about our history by taking part in it. Take a tour of the visual tale of our town from the rough-sawn Whitestone beginnings to the polished and finely worked grandeur of our facades that still exist today. Partake of Victorian pastimes or boldly go beyond the curtains to encounter our colourful past. Leisurely repose oneself in the sumptuous surrounds of our parlour.

The Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery is a small private museum and gallery based in the home of Dunedin mural artist and sculptor, Bruce Mahalski, and located at 61 Royal Terrace in Dunedin, New Zealand. Spread over three rooms of an old central city villa the museum contains a collection of skulls, bones, biological curiosities, ethnological art and unusual cultural artifacts which the artist has collected over a lifetime. There is also a gallery featuring his own unique bone art and paintings for sale.

Deer are fascinating and majestic animals that have been part of New Zealand`s history since the 1850`s, and our farming scene since the 1970`s. Learn about the story of deer in New Zealand whilst looking at the finest collection of deer antlers in New Zealand, including some rare species and record holders. The World of Deer Museum is a multi faceted centre with lots to see and learn as we celebrate the wonderful and very important animal that is the Deer. The basis of the museum is the collection of wonderful antlers grown by stud animals at the famous " Stanfield Red Deer Stud" that includes previous world record antler for number of points (60), SCI and CIC scores and weight. Our point of difference is our worldwide theme, plus the educational focus - the New Zealand story from liberation of deer from around the world to the evolution of the deer farming industry, to understanding the products from deer and the benefits of natural remedies.

The Dunedin Public Art Gallery is one of New Zealand's four major metropolitan art galleries. Established in 1884, the Gallery was New Zealand’s first Art Gallery and is renowned today for the richness of its historic collection and its close working relationship with major New Zealand artists. The Gallery houses a signifcant collection of New Zealand artworks covering the period from 1860 to the present. The collection also contains major holdings of historical European art, Japanese prints and the decorative arts. Historical works by renowned artists such as Turner, Gainsborough, Claude, and Machiavelli feature alongside the only Monet in a New Zealand collection and master works by Derain, Tissot, Burne-Jones and internationally acclaimed Dunedin artist Frances Hodgkins. The collection is fundamental to the Gallery’s exhibition programme, but many works of art are also sourced from other public and private collections in New Zealand and internationally. The Gallery presents a wide-ranging events programme of interesting lectures, floor talks, film and video screenings, performances and workshops. There are regular guided tours for key exhibitions or by arrangement. Located right in the heart of Dunedin, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery is within easy walking distance from a large number of hotels and on all major public transport routes. There are disabled facilities, the award-winning Nova cafe, a wonderful shop and free wi-fi in the Gallery foyer.