Toitū Otago Settlers Museum

Toitū Otago Settlers Museum

Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
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.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience Toitū Otago Settlers Museum and nearby attractions

Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Paul P
    Melbourne, Australia232 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A walk through time in Otago.
    I was totally impressed with the museum. It covers Otago from the first people up to today. It has detail aplenty, or you can just walk through the collection and see the changes over the years. At least an hour but you could spend much more, It has been so well done utilising a number of buildings a d starting in a new modern one. You seamlessly walk through and end up in the old road authority art Deco building. Remember to get a shot of it from the outside too. Want more? It is free! My favourite was the huge mainframe computer with a humongous 12k or so of memory. A must do in Dunedin.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 March 2024
  • STravelsNZ
    Wellington, New Zealand304 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Museum
    Toitu is a great museum that’s well laid out and has a nice variety of exhibits. A walk down memory lane for me. The household items, morris 8 car and tiger tea bus brought back childhood memories. Well worth a visit!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 27 April 2024
  • cjmjs
    Christchurch, New Zealand73 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Learn about the locals
    Very well thought out museum and amazing tribute to the early settlers of Otago. Nice and spacious with plenty of exhibits for kids to explore. Really enjoyed looking at the old computer servers. Nice display of cars. Definitely worth a visit and a stop off at the cafe.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 3 June 2024
  • KBofLB
    Littleborough, United Kingdom583 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is how it started
    This purpose built museum is well set out. It covers in detail both the original Maori settlement and the European era in the 19th century. It includes more modern exhibits, particularly transport and technology. Well worth visiting.
    Visited November 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 22 December 2024
  • AustTrail
    542 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressive museum
    We were very impressed with this museum. We didn't have much time but in the short hour that we had, we had a great time looking at the old to new vehicles and the historical displays. The building is new and displays nicely laid out. It is free admission and there is parking close by. A must see when you are visiting Dunedin.
    Visited December 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 December 2024
  • Robert D
    5,375 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Social History Museum
    The Toitu Otago Settlers Museum tells the story of the various peoples who have settled in Otago, starting with the Maori. its many rooms can keep visitors engaged for several hours. The first gallery shows a Wharerau, a dwelling the Maori used in the colder climate of the South Island before European arrival. The next room was part of the original museum when I visited it in 1985. It featured wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling portraits of the early European settlers. Dunedin was a prosperous city during the gold rush of the 1860s. You can see the 8-sided banking desk used by the Bank of New Zealand for its customers in 1883. Another exhibit shows knitted poppies, made by the Otago Settlers Association in 2014 to remember the men and women from Dunedin who were killed during World War I. This is a truly excellent museum and I highly recommend a visit.
    Visited November 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 18 January 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles2,106 reviews
Excellent
1,646
Very good
422
Average
27
Poor
8
Terrible
4

Karana190
Brisbane, Australia379 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Couples
This is a large museum so leave at least an hour to visit. There is so much to see. Entry is free yet there is nothing skimped on the presentation of the stories. The original railway station is incorporated into one of the rooms. There is a pleasant coffee shop should you want to breakup your visit, a gift shop for classy souvenirs and there is parking outside for $2 an hour. Very impressive!
Written 21 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

50StateVisitor
Randolph, NJ907 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
This is a great museum with worthwhile exhibits on the history, culture, technology and transportation of the Otago region. Make sure to get a map to guide you and allow 1-2 hours to explore all of the galleries. Donations appreciated. There is also a gift shop and food service in the lobby. Parking is "pay and display" in the lot behind the museum or on the street.
Written 30 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anne D
Sydney, Australia64 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
The best part of this museum is how it unfolds and explains what it special about this area but doesn't preach or condemn. It is an excellent example of how settlers and native people worked together. I really enjoyed the stories told by people who live there and have connection to the ancestors and events. It makes the stories more interesting than simply reading them on a wall! We had a really good lunch there too surrounded by locals. We were the only foreign tourists that day!
Written 2 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Janette K
151 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022 • Couples
I have been to a few museums in my time but this one has blown me away. Authentic and appropriate for our times this museum celebrates the resilience of all settlers to this windswept challenging part of the world. The stories of Maori settlement and early Europeans looking for fortunes and freedom are beautifully woven together to embrace true manaakitanga. I loved the ride on the penny farthing bike too! Just saying!
Written 24 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephen M
Canberra55 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023
I came here 8 years ago and am just as enthused as I was then, It is a fabulous museum about the history and people of the local region. I am again totally surprised at how large and how good it was. It is a credit to all those involved in the creation and maintenance of this most interesting place. It is very close to the heritage Railway station and some interesting shops and cafes nearby.
Written 22 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aussie_2012
Melbourne, Australia961 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
This museum is FREE and absolutely well worth the visit. Stay for at least an hour or two. There are many displays about Dunedin and Otago especially about its early settlers, some of which are very interactive. There are also fantastic displays on histories of transport, technology and everyday life which was quite a blast from the past. The displays are done so well I really appreciated what was being shown and learnt so much. I can't express any more than to visit as it was a highlight of our stay in Dunedin.
Written 7 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steve L
Hucknall, UK542 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Not many major museums are free and when they are they are usually not up to scratch. Not the case here. What a very large and fascinating place this is. The history of the South Island settlers as well as transport and the development of the city are all here. Kids are allowed to play on some of the exhibits which helps the learn. There is a mock up of a ship bringing settlers from the UK, example as of clothes through time and computers. Basically a bit of everything so almost everyone should find something interesting here.
Written 14 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

buckeyetravel
Ohio315 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
This museum tells of the various nationalities that settled in the area and where they came from. It discusses their long journeys from various places (primarily Europe) and some of their early struggles and successes. It also has a Smithsonian feel to it for those familiar with this museum in the US as their are pop culture items from various decades, vehicles from this history of the area, military history, mauri culture, etc. I really enjoyed the pop culture items and the development of computers area that has all kinds of tech items and mainframes that are fun to look at. Overall, a good place to visit and free admission (suggested donation) makes this a place you should check out in Dunedin.
Written 14 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mariska N
Auckland Central, New Zealand7 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Friends
Ordered a cheese roll and spinach feta quiche. We waited for 20 minutes while watching others who arrived after us get served. We asked the waitress where our order was, and she said she would check. 5 minutes later, she came back to ask us what we ordered! When the cheese roll finally arrived, after a further 10 minutes, while they continued to deliver food to other customers, it was semi warm and undercooked and cheese was not melted. Wouldn't come here again. Very disappointing cafe service and is not worth what you pay.
Written 28 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matthew
Wellington, New Zealand39 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
We visited Toitu Otago Settlers Museum on a rainy day, after visiting the Otago Museum. Toitu was definitely our preference.

For the visitor, the museum has an easy flow... from the entrance, you walk through a single long building (towards the Chinese Garden) as your progress through time.

The collection is varied, and has an engaging mix of installations - both history and modern. There's a nice use of technology, but nothing feels cliche.

Overall, the museum is great. If anything... there could be a little more mātauranga Māori (but it feels they’re in a better position than Otago Museum).
Written 28 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 2,007
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

TOITŪ OTAGO SETTLERS MUSEUM (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

All Dunedin HotelsDunedin Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Dunedin
All things to do in Dunedin
Zoos & Aquariums in Dunedin
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday HomesTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire