Current exhibits on display at the Cambridge Museum
Doing Your Bit – The Home Front in WWII
When the Second World War began in September 1939, around 5000 people lived in Cambridge and surrounding villages. Over the next six years, nearly 500 left for overseas service. The family and friends who remained…
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A Cambridge Timeline
Cambridge – “The Town of Trees and Champions” – beautiful and iconic. But what was here before people arrived? Why did they settle here? Come trace the history of an area rich in resources, later…
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Growing up in Cambridge
In the early days, most schools were small enough to fit in one room. Books were scarce and sports equipment hard to come by. Hockey sticks were just that, sticks found in the woods and…
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Building a Town
In 1864, surveyors mapped out a British-style framework for the town, and gradually shops, hotels, schools and homes filled in the spaces. Unformed roads, scattered houses and drab buildings is how a visitor to Cambridge…
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Reading the Signs
Ever wondered about the history behind your street name in Cambridge? Let us help you. Our “Reading the signs” booklet teaches you how street names are chosen, some of the more interesting names, and an…
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Running for Generations
A celebration of the Cambridge Harrier Club’s 75th Anniversary. Read about our obsession with long distance and cross-country running, compare the running gear of today with the 1930s, and find out where the name “Harrier”…
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Excelsior Printing Press
This printing press was the social media of its day. It was possibly used at Te Kauwhanganui parliament near Maungakawa, north of Cambridge in the 1890s. Te Kauhanganui understood the power of the press. Te…
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Square Piano
The piano on display is one of the oldest in New Zealand. This video gives us an idea of how it would have sounded. Video source: Greenaway Studio (Canberra, Australia) Maria Arnold brought with her…
MORECome in and explore
We share some of the many voices and stories of the people who have changed Cambridge Te Oko Horoi.
Our Timeline wall maps out significant events in the area from 1300. It tells the story of the lives of the Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā people, the mana whenua of this area, who transformed the banks of the river and Lake Te Kō Utu into gardens filled with kūmara, taro, gourd and tropical yam. It offers fascinating insights into the establishment of the town, law and order, schooling, hydro electric power and much more.
Our surrounding displays look at ways people have made their living here over time – including family-run farms, fruiterers, butcheries, hotels and restaurants. The role of builders, surveyors and policy makers in the shaping of our town also feature, as do some well-loved items from young ones who have grown up in the town and the surrounding area.