Akaroa Museum is a local history museum.

Akaroa Museum

The Museum is located at 71 Rue Lauvaud. The museum is open 7 days a week, except Christmas Day and ANZAC Day morning. Summer hours are 10:30 am – 4:30 pm and winter hours are 10:30 am – 4:00 pm.

When I visited the galleries were closed due to construction work. The gift shop was open and it was possible to view the museum’s three heritage buildings.

The Akaroa Museum was established in 1964 around the Langlois-Eteveneaux Cottage, a two room cottage built in the early 1840s for Aimable Langlois. He returned to France in 1842. In 1858 the cottage passed to Jean-Pierre Eteveneaux and later his son Jean-Baptise, who did remodeling. In the mid 1960s the additions to the cottage were removed to return it to its original two room cottage.

Langlois-Eteveneaux Cottage

The Museum is also responsible for the Old Akaroa Court House and the Custom House.

A resident magistrate’s court was formed in Akaroa in 1840. It was not until 1880 though that the Court House building was built and was in use until 1979.

Old Akaroa Court House

Custom House, located at the end of Rue Balguerie, near Daly’s Wharf, is a short walk from the Museum. It was built in 1858 after Akaroa become of customs port of entry in 1842. The building later became a survey office and later part of the Borough Council chambers.

Custom House