Opened in 2010, the Friend in Need Exhibition in the Paekākāariki Station Trust Museum brings the short but intense WWII encampment of U.S.Armed Forces in New Zealand to life for local and international visitors.
The exhibition gives a whole new view to familiar places around Paekākāriki, linking our village to major world events.
What makes the exhibition special is that many of the items are gifts from local people and former Marines, wanting to show their gratitude to a District that provided a ‘home away from home’ in the midst of a savage war.
The exhibition was curated and set up by Trust Historian, Anthony Dreaver and a team of local volunteers.
Located in the heritage Paekākāriki Station, this lively community museum also presents a rich and varied set of other exhibits reflecting on tangata whenua history, rail heritage, and 100 years of community development. It is s also home to Kākāriki Books where owner, Michael O’Leary, is almost as iconic as the history he writes about.
The Museum is open from 11am-3pm on weekends and public holidays. It is easily accessible by train, car and bike and, a very short walk from Paekākāriki Village.
