Discover the forces that take you sky-high!

Opens 20 December 2025

Built in 1877, Te Whare Mapu – The Pumphouse is an important landmark recognised by Heritage New Zealand as a Category 1 historic place. Experience the sounds, heat, smell and power when the boiler operates Wednesday - Sunday and during special events. The Beam Engine is a live demonstration on selected days across the year.

Permanent Exhibition

Visit Taiwhanga Rererangi - Aviation Hall at Motions Road and discover the exciting stories of aviation in Aotearoa.

Permanent Exhibition

Tech is taking off this winter at MOTAT! Discover autonomous tech from land to air and see what’s possible when no one’s flying the plane.

Opens Saturday 28 June 2025

This exhibition in the Walsh Memorial Library portrays a meeting of two worlds — inviting you into the moment when te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā first converged on the printed page.

1 Sep - 1 Feb 2026 | 10:00AM - 4:00PM

More science. More discovery. More fun.

Permanent Exhibition

Permanent Exhibition

Revved up, fully charged, and challenging the status quo! Take a drive through New Zealand’s love affair with vehicles and technology. This one’s for the petrol heads, tech enthusiasts, history buffs, and future thinkers alike.

Permanent Exhibition

This MOTAT favourite offers a unique hands-on experience of telecommunication equipment and technology. It's always fun explaining rotary phones to those only familiar with modern phones and mobiles.

Permanent Exhibition

The Te Pā o MOTAT – MOTAT Village brings alive Pākehā settler life. You’ll be taken back in time as you explore the original cottages, schoolhouse, chapel, washhouse and forge.

Permanent Exhibition

Kia Atamai – Get Smart investigates the growth of computing, gaming and communications to show how the powerful machines we carry in our pockets have become faster, cheaper, and smarter.

Permanent Exhibition

Everyone loves a big red firetruck! From early horse-drawn pumps to V8-powered fire engines, discover the equipment and history of these everyday heroes.

Permanent Exhibition

A MOTAT favourite for 40 years, but as they say: “a model railway is never finished.” So come and see what’s new!

Permanent Exhibition

Whizz by Kutarere - Scooter to discover what makes this two-wheeled-vehicle so much fun. Kutarere - Scooter takes you on a ride through the technology, fashion and culture changes from the 60s to today.

Permanent Exhibition