Whitestone City

Whitestone City

Whitestone City
5
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
Closed
Friday
Closed
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
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.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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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.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles154 reviews
Excellent
135
Very good
14
Average
1
Poor
3
Terrible
1

Nancy M
Auckland, New Zealand4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Family
This is an absolute must. Its very informative and has really friendly staff who take pictures for you. Experience going back in time. Play croquet, see a brief history of Omaru, see a variety of little shops, a bar, laze in chase lounges, and an old school room. Horse and carriage and penny farthings. A bit of everything. Allow at least an hour. Payment is by donation (what you think the visit was worth).
Written 9 October 2024
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.

Rachael B
1,890 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
My husband and I came here and did the Grand Tour and had such a good time! You can book our tickets on GetYourGuide for $40usd for 2 adults and this includes a private, personalized tour of the museum in period costumes. The costumes were my absolute FAVORITE! They offer to take lots of pictures of you throughout the tour with your phone/camera that doesn't cost extra. If you ever want to get old fashioned photos taken you really can't do better than this! I have some AMAZING photos of us from this tour. We also enjoyed riding on the old fashioned bicycle carousel, playing old fashioned games like knuckle bones (which it turns out I am terrible at) and this strange pinball/ski ball game. We also played a few rounds of croquet. And of course there is also the history to be learned from the tour and displays. I love that it is interactive! Recommend if looking for something to do in the area.
Written 20 October 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.

13Sue
Auckland, New Zealand22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
My daughter and I decided to do the Grand tour in Whitestone city. This involved getting dressed up in victorian clothing and being guided around the building by Sandy who provided us with some interesting history of Oamaru as well as snapping photographs of us on our phones. Sandy was very passionate about Oamaru and the history of the area and she spent time ensuring we looked the part which we certainly did! We even attracted a bit of attention as we had our photos taken outside. I loved how we could touch things as we walked around and they even had a Penny Farthing carrousel. I would highly recommend this to dress up fans and history buffs, even those who arent would enjoy this I'm sure. Suitable for all ages.
Written 22 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.
thank you for your recommendation :)
Written 23 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

cpcog
Sydney, Australia1,337 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021
It is good for tourists! although the place isn't that big, there is plenty things to see and try. We can tell the owner try very hard to decorate the place with lot of information and activities. you can see old things and old costume , played old games and had a ride on carousel!
The staffs are very friendly and explain everything they know.
Donation was welcomed at the end of the visit.
Written 9 January 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.

Peter & Kelly M
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021
A great experience made all the better by passionate and engaging staff.  We weren't sure what to expect on entering but it was a great mix of entertainment, interaction and education in a very hands-on environment.  The Penny Farthing Carousel was a highlight together with the original classroom experience (a real eye-opener for the kids on how things used to be).  Attention to detail and nice small touches.  A really unique museum-style experience that the operators are clearly passionate about.
Written 17 January 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.

KiwiKerry53
Wellington, New Zealand5,057 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
A very strange place. We visited early in the evening, there was no one on the front counter and something was happening with a reasonable size group in another room. We had a quick look around and could see that it could be a fun visit at a different time going by other reviews.
Written 26 August 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.

Annie S
Christchurch, New Zealand53 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
This place is amazing. We spent a good couple of hours playing old games, dressing up, riding a penny farthing, sitting in class. So well setup and the volunteers who were staffing it make the experience so much more entertaining. Fantastic experience
Written 10 July 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.

jodieh438
Auckland Central, New Zealand5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
This was a highlight for my daughters (age 6 & 9) trip around the South Island. They described this as one of their favourite places to visit. Well set up with old games, dress ups and a penny farthing merry go round.
Written 11 July 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.

aw682018
Masterton, New Zealand50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Loved our recent visit to this very interesting museum. Nice to learn about how the town developed in the mid to late 1800’s. The staff ere very knowledgable and informative. Totally enjoyed my ride on the penny farthing merry-go-round. Liked the idea of donations at the exit we gave $10 each. Would highly recommend a visit.
Written 5 October 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.

perthchick25
Perth, WA5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
We had the best time on our visit to Whitestone City. We had a tour with Heather and Stella. They were fountains of local knowledge. Our primary school aged children were enthralled. We loved dressing up in the Victorian Age Clothing. Thank you for making Oamaru come alive and letting us live in the Victorian Times, even just for a few hours.
Written 24 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.

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WHITESTONE CITY (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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