The Waiuku Museum is a local history museum at 13 King Street in Waiuku, south of Auckland. It is open on Sundays from 1:30pm to 4pm, and on Wednesday mornings. The museum's upstairs viewing area has seats salvaged from the old Waiuku cinema, where visitors can watch a short video about the town's history. The town's beginnings date to the 1850s, and the museum says Waiuku was once New Zealand's second busiest shipping port.
Groups from retirement villages, clubs and overseas can arrange access and a guide at a time that suits their itinerary. There is good parking close by, and cafés and restaurants are within walking distance. The museum's archive also holds historic items and newspaper clippings from the district, and it has contributed items to local Anzac Day events. Our pick in Waiuku for a town history visit with the old cinema seats.