About

The Historic Village is a one-of-a-kind destination featuring original and replica historic buildings.

This vibrant community hub is home to Tauranga’s creative community, boutique retailers and not-for-profit organisations who support our city’s social and cultural needs.

It’s also a popular place to host festivals and community events, conferences, weddings, meetings/hui, workshops and corporate parties, with a diverse range of indoor and outdoor spaces available for hire.

The Village is owned and managed by Tauranga City Council, and is located on 5.5ha at the bottom of 17th Avenue. The Kōpūrererua Valley is just a short walk away and The Village is surrounded by beautiful native bush, providing a peaceful oasis within our busy city.

Plans for a historic village-style museum were first proposed in December 1972. The land was previously covered in scrub and had to be cleared and drained to make way for the new development. It opened to the public in 1976 and in the decades since, it has been home to many different buildings and exhibits, including a steam train, village post office, band rotunda, a remnant of Captain Cook’s Endeavour, a vintage tug, and a village hotel, just to name a few. Fire raced through three buildings in August 1981, destroying a service station, garage and stables. But The Village continued to grow and evolve.

Today, The Village helps tell the story of Tauranga’s culture and history. It’s a cornerstone of the creative arts scene, providing a venue for artists, musicians and performers to shine. But above all, The Historic Village is a welcoming and inclusive hub that brings our community together to connect, learn, support one another, relax and have fun.

Entry is free and the grounds are open seven days a week from 7:30am-10pm.