Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History is, from 29 June 2026, introducing a few significant changes as part of a wider strategy to build a sustainable future for the museum.
A nominal entry fee will be attached to entry as well as a change in hours. Entry for Masterton residents is $2 with all other residents $5. Entry to Aratoi remains free for Friends of Aratoi members and children aged 16 and under.
The museum is also changing its opening hours to Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–3pm (closed on all Mondays), as a further cost-saving measure to support the Institutions’ long-term financial sustainability.
These changes come as the museum faces increased economic strain. As a Charitable Trust, and not a Council controlled organisation, Aratoi relies on generous funding partners, supporters and our community. Aratoi’s Director Sarah McClintock argues that the changes are a necessary and responsible step for the future.
“Aratoi is more than a museum,” she says. “It is where our community comes together, where our artists find their audience, and where our history and taonga are protected for generations to come. It is the cultural heart of the Wairarapa. Aratoi exists to serve this community — and we intend to keep doing that well into the future.”
Many of New Zealand’s regional museums and galleries have been facing real financial pressures over the last few years. Sarah continues, “The introduction of a modest entry fee is how we take responsibility for our own sustainability, while ensuring that Friends of Aratoi and all children continue to enjoy free access.”
