A superb variety of collection-rich galleries await you!

Enter Southern Land Southern People and experience a window on the natural and cultural heritage of the southern region. From our extraordinary landscapes and fossils to the wealth and use of our natural resources, you can see in one place what has made and makes us special. From the Pacific coast to the Southern Alps, discover the diversity and the passion that is Otago.

World class collections within the Culture theme of the Otago Museum provide a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the material cultures of Oceania and the wider world!
 
We have internationally significant ethnographic material from New Zealand, Oceania and further afield. This includes arguably the best collections of southern Maori material, Pacific Island statues rarely seen elsewhere, including the extremely rare Easter Island Statue, examples of the world's earliest forms of writing and a collection of ship builders' models considered to be among the finest in the Southern Hemisphere.
 
Lose yourself in the world of Nature at the Otago Museum! You’ll find an amazing array of animals and plants awaiting you in our Nature Galleries and the Animal Attic.
 
We have collected and preserved the largest ever collections of New Zealand spiders and New Zealand butterflies right here! Plus don’t miss our wonderful examples of New Zealand birds, insects, marine animals, and fossils. Come face-to-face with the extinct giant moa.
 
While we have a strong focus on the southern region of the country, you will also find an impressive contingent of specimens from the rest of New Zealand and from around the world. You can see examples of creatures which no longer roam our earth, and learn some valuable lessons about making sure extinction of precious species doesn’t continue.

There's much more to discover. Just visit the galleries to start your journey.