Developed on land gifted by local Maori, the Government Gardens have been well nurtured for over 100 years. Rotorua’s first hospital was built on the site with patients being transported by wheelbarrow to the thermal baths nearby. The hospital has since been demolished but other heritage buildings survive in style. The most significant of these are the Rotorua Museum of Art and History (formerly the Bath House) constructed to advance New Zealand’s fledgling tourist industry, and the Art-deco Blue Baths.
Rotorua Museum of Art and History (formerly the Bath House and Tudor Towers)
Construction of the Bath House was completed for the most part by 1908. Native timbers and local pumice were innovatively incorporated into the building of the German-inspired structure. The most up-to-date hydrotherapy equipment was purchased and a baleontologist engaged to research and establish the therapeutic practices for which the Bath House would become internationally acclaimed. Thermal water was piped into bathrooms and massage rooms, with deeper pools being available for the treatment of chronic diseases. Male and female patients were separated. Practices which might be considered bizarre today, such as running electric currents through the water while bathing, became popular with visitors.
After falling into disrepair the baths were closed in 1966, and for the following three decades the building housed a popular local nightspot. Many 70s couples celebrated engagement parties and weddings at the upmarket ‘Tudor Towers’.
When Rotorua needed a special building to preserve its heritage and house its taonga (treasures) the old Bath House with its distinctive architecture, long association with the growing city, and embroidered frontage of formal gardens was the obvious choice. The Bath House was reborn as the Rotorua Museum of Art and History.
On permanent display are carvings, weaponry and cherished photographs of the Te Arawa people who were the first inhabitants of the Rotorua region. ‘Taking the Cure’ offers a fascinating glimpse of therapeutic bathing at the Bath House, and ‘Ake, Ake’ is a moving account of the 28th Maori Battalion B Company during the Second World War. As well as these permanent exhibitions the Museum hosts ongoing displays of contemporary art, a cinematic exploration of Rotorua’s volcanic landscape, children’s activities and a viewing platform with panoramic views of the city.
The Museum is open daily except for Christmas Day. Summer: 9:00am-8:00pm; Winter: 9:00am-5:00pm. Guided tours run every hour from 10:00am – 4:00pm during winter and until 5:00pm during summer. Rotorua Museum, Queens Drive, Rotorua Government Gardens, Private Bag 3029, Rotorua. Ph: 64 7 350 1814; rotoruamuseum@rdc.govt.nz.
The Blue Baths in Rotorua Government Gardens - the Epitome of Art-Deco Architecture
Lured by the risqué notion of mixed bathing, visitors flocked to the Blue Baths after their official opening in 1933. Among other architectural delights a 1936 tourist brochure offered “submerged lighting – sun balconies” and a “richly furnished rest room” – temptation indeed for people jaded by the drab years of the Great Depression. Unlike other thermal baths in the area, the Blue Baths focused on pleasure rather than dreary treatments for conditions like psoriasis and gout.
The Blue Baths remained a popular attraction for both locals and tourists until the 1980s when they were closed and the Spanish Mission-style Art-Deco building slid into decay. Rescued by the combined efforts of the Rotorua District Council and developer Mike Romanes, the building has been restored to its 1930s glamour. The pools contain fresh water, heated geothermally. The building houses a museum and function centre and offers cabaret-style entertainment Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from November – April. Because private functions may affect bathing times, people wishing to bathe should first contact the Blue Baths, Government Gardens, Rotorua, PO Box 1471, Rotorua 64 + 7 350 2119; info@historic-venues.co.nz.
Lyn Rasmussen - Lyn is a New Zealander who lives in the centre of New Zealand's Volcanic Wonderland. She has been recognised for her writing across ...
