Welcome
Hokonui Moonshine Museum
A visitor attraction, the Hokonui Moonshine Museum celebrates the history of illicit whisky making in the southern region. Situated in the Hokonui Heritage Centre, the Museum explores these colourful stories through recreations, audio-visuals and artefacts, and demonstrates just how adventurous many local 'moonshiners' became in the face of police opposition and how 'kiwi' ingenuity foiled (and often failed to foil) the Customs men.
Gore Historical Museum
Also situated in the Hokonui Heritage Centre and celebrating the district's social history, the Gore Historical Museum has a variety of displays and special collections. A wide range of items and information cover the arrival of southern Maori, early European settlers, and the resulting enterprise that made the district unique. The Hook, Line & Sinker display is dedicated to fly fishing on the Mataura River while the Genge Costume Gallery features a range of colonial costumes.
Eastern Southland Gallery
Nicknamed the 'Goreggenheim' by Saatchi & Saatchi boss Kevin Roberts, the Eastern Southland Gallery is a public art museum, situated in the Arts and Heritage Precinct of Gore's CBD. Established in a former Carnegie Library building, it features the internationally renowned John Money Collection, which includes paintings by Rita Angus and Theo Schoon (New Zealand), Lowell Nesbitt (USA), Bambarra, Dogon and Baga carvings from West Africa, and paintings and carvings from Elcho Island (Australia). The Gallery is also home to one of the largest holdings of works by major New Zealand contemporary artist Ralph Hotere and presents a vibrant annual programme of temporary exhibitions, concerts, lectures, workshops and artist projects.
Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre
Based at the Mandeville airfield on SH94, Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre hosts a collection of nationally significant vintage aircraft. With a special focus on de Havilland aircraft the Museum is dedicated to preserving and celebrating New Zealand's light civil aviation heritage.
... and there is more
Other great places to check out are: