Art Galleries

Tuesday

10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Wednesday

10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Thursday

10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Friday

10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Saturday

10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

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About

Te Ana provides personalised, authentic Maori cultural experiences based around the rock art art sites created by our ancestors. We offer guided tours of our Māori Rock Art Centre, Te Ana, and guided tours to some of the districts most stunning examples of Māori rock drawings, also known as cave art. We are a Māori owned not-for-profit organisation - 100% of the proceeds of our centre and site tours are used for the management of the rock art sites in the district. By choosing Te Ana you are helping us to protect this unique aspect of our culture for future generations. Kia ora!

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See what travellers are saying

Susan S
Vancouver, Canada1 contribution
Take the personal tour
Personal tour of the Centre & then the Opihi Rock Art site was excellent. Well worth it. Learned so much about Maori culture & early history. Rachel Solomon was a fantastic guide.
Rachel
Thank you
Written 29 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Visited September 2023
Travelled with friends
Written 13 October 2023
Penelope M
1 contribution
Don't miss this.
We had an incredible tour of this extraordinary gem. The centre is brilliantly set up to inform all ages about Maori rock art and the life and culture it came out of. This place is a treasure and should be on everyones itinerary.
Visited November 2023
Travelled with friends
Written 13 December 2023
Grant N
Hastings, New Zealand1,516 contributions
Fantastic - a definite must see for NZrs and visitors
Just loved this place - the exhibits were terrific, thought provoking, full of the legends and history of Ngai Tahu. We were fascinated, and sometimes guilty, on a learning curve, and just plain impressed over and over again. I'd go back again if in the area just to see it all again and see what I missed. Very professional and something for everybody. Just go!
Visited March 2024
Travelled with family
Written 17 April 2024

These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5

100 reviews

Excellent

74

Very good

22

Average

4

Poor

0

Terrible

0

Kent and Georgina

11 contributions

Fascinating History

Feb 2021

Most impressed by our tour guide, very knowledgeable but most important respectful of his heritage while remaining age appropriate and genuine to who he is. Anyone interested in rock art or petroglyph from any culture will appreciate what is here. So good to see taonga in such a wonderful and thoughtful space. Well do Ngai Tahu! Our visitors from Northland were extremely impressed, especially being Nga Puhi who do not share this practice.

Written 7 February 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.

Larry D

1 contribution

Te Ana Maori Rock Art Centre - A Must see in Timaru!!

Jan 2023

We had an unexpected stop in Timaru and decided to go to the Maori Rock Art Centre. This decision was one of the best we made on our trip. My wife and I spent almost 2 hours in the museum, as our Guide, Sue Eddington took the time to explain the Rock Art and the other exhibits in the Rock Art Centre along with details of the Maori culture and customs. We came away from the Rock Art Centre with a better understanding of who the Maori were and now are and their unique culture.
The Rock Art Centre and its staff are a jewel in this wonderful, inviting town of Timaru. A must see if you are in the area!!

Written 29 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.

Wilderness

Wellington, New Zealand7 contributions

An experience not to be missed!

Mar 2021 • Solo

Te Ana is an incredible experience. Not just a museum, it is interactive, immersive, and you’ll get a guided tour where you will learn more about the fascinating art in this area of New Zealand. After my visit I was even able to visit one of the nearby sites on my own nearby and it was just fantastic! Highly recommended - don’t miss it!

Written 5 March 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.

Janice C

Austin, TX66 contributions

Very interesting

Mar 2023 • Couples

Our tour guide took us through the museum explaining the various aspects of the Maori rock art. Then we were given time to look at the displays and short films that were available. Next we followed her to the Maori rock art site. We walked down a steep slope to the site. It was very interesting and our guide had lots of stories to tell us. Then it was a really long climb back up to the carpark. The walk round trip was 1.4 km.

Written 1 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.

Tim K

110 contributions

Surprise small gem

Mar 2023

This was an unexpectred find. We did not know anything about it and looked to things to see en route to Lake Taupo. Timaru came up with this. We enjoyed leaning about the various paintings that are found and some of their history and how it fits into the overall culture in this area. The museum is small, in the I-SITE in an old train depot area by the harbor, but each display seemed to trap us and we spent more than an hour there, had ot leave since they were closing.

Written 18 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.

Rachel

Thank you for your comments

Written 29 November 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bruce and Sue

Auckland Central, New Zealand1 contribution

Maori Rock Art

Oct 2022

Donna, our guide was quite outstanding. She spent about 3/4 of an hour with us explaining in great detail the the maori art of rock painting. She was so knowledgeable she was able to give us many interesting details .I came away so inspired and bought 3 pieces of the shops copies of the art to share with friends.
This is a must do if you are in Timaru.
Would also like to acknowledge Patricia's role . She was welcoming, helpful and full of suggestions for our stay in Timaru.

Written 1 November 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.

jennifer c

Napier, New Zealand3 contributions

Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre

Aug 2022 • Friends

Knowledgeable tour guide who spoke sensitively about the exhibits. The exhibits themselves were very informative and added a depth of understanding and appreciation of the cave art I had seen years ago.
Te rawe hoki!
One of the best places to go to in Timaru.

Written 5 September 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.

KW2011

Houston, TX236 contributions

Well worth the visit and your time

Jan 2023 • Couples

We went in early and since we were the only people there, we ended up with a totally private tour. It was fabulous! On our own, we might have spent just a few minutes there, but the in-depth explanations of each exhibit were very enlightening and so worth it. Our guide was part Māori and seemed so happy to be able to impart so much of her knowledge to us. I am really glad that we went on our own, instead of our planned larger tour. And it has an excellent small gift area as well.

Written 15 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.

Penelope M

1 contribution

Don't miss this.

Nov 2023 • Friends

We had an incredible tour of this extraordinary gem. The centre is brilliantly set up to inform all ages about Maori rock art and the life and culture it came out of. This place is a treasure and should be on everyones itinerary.

Written 13 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.

Grant N

Hastings, New Zealand1,516 contributions

Fantastic - a definite must see for NZrs and visitors

Mar 2024 • Family

Just loved this place - the exhibits were terrific, thought provoking, full of the legends and history of Ngai Tahu. We were fascinated, and sometimes guilty, on a learning curve, and just plain impressed over and over again. I'd go back again if in the area just to see it all again and see what I missed. Very professional and something for everybody. Just go!

Written 17 April 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.

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