Tairāwhiti Museum is the main arts, culture and heritage museum for the Tairāwhiti region, at 10 Stout Street in Gisborne. It has a 4.6 rating from 553 Google reviews. Its website says it is a five-minute walk from the CBD across Peel Street Bridge and through Kelvin Park, with free parking on Stout Street, and lists changing exhibitions, an art gallery, a Friends of the Museum programme and talks. It shows hours of 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday and a small adult entry fee at the time it was published, so check before you go. Reviewers praise thoughtful exhibitions, local history, art and an on-site cafe, and say it is bigger than it looks.
A good museum tells a place's story through objects, images and voices, so it helps to pick one or two exhibitions to see properly rather than rush through everything. Check what is on and any talks before you visit, as temporary exhibitions change. Allow a couple of hours, and take a break at the cafe. Ask staff about guided tours or local history displays, and note closing days and holiday hours.
For Gisborne's history, art and Māori heritage, Tairāwhiti Museum is a rewarding place to visit.