The Historic Village, Tauranga, 1976- (Place)

Establishment: It was designed as a village style museum, built to replace the much smaller Tauranga District Museum (known as 'The Anchor House') located on the corner of Durham and Hamilton Streets. The village first opened to the public on December 11th, 1976, though was officially opened on May 2nd, 1977, by Governor General Sir Denis Blundell.

Site: Previously swampland covered in scrub, extensive work was conducted to drain the land and clear vegetation. The low-lying area is still prone to occasional flooding.

Management: In 1989 Compass Community Trust took over operation of the site. The village became the 'Compass Community Village', and the museum artifacts were removed with the plan of establishing a new museum. In 2005 Tauranga City Council took back management of the village. In the 2020s it remains as an active community hub, serving as a home for local community groups and businesses, and a venue for various events and activities.

Historical buildings include:

• Durham Barracks
• Faulkner House
• Forrester’s Hall
• Gilmore’s Store
• Colonel Greer’s Cottage
• The Ōtumōetai School House
• Tauranga Primary School
• Town Board and Library (replica)

Managers and Custodians included:

• Billie Kaye
• Graham Macgregor