Rotorua Bathhouse (Rotorua Museum)

Last crawled date: 2 years, 10 months ago

The Bath House, which today houses Rotorua Museum of Art and History Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa, was once a famous geothermal spa which offered therapeutic treatments to visitors from all over the world. The people of Rotorua are indebted to Ngati Whakaue for the gift of land that the Bath House stands on. On 22 November 1880, Judge F.D. Fenton met with 47 Maori leaders to discuss a proposal supporting the creation of a township. Contained within the agreement was a clause setting aside thermal springs “Hei oranga mo nga iwi katoa o te Ao” – for the benefit of the people of the world. This far-sighted and generous gift of 50 acres along the southern shores of Lake Rotorua demonstrated the goodwill of the original landowners. The area, formerly known as the Sanatorium Reserve, is today named Government Gardens. Opened in 1908 by Rear-Admiral Sperry of the American Great White Fleet, the Bath House represents the New Zealand Government’s first major investment in the tourism industry. An Edwardian attempt to create a spa in an essentially Elizabethan style of architecture, the building incorporates half-timbered construction, gables, towers and a grand staircase in an aesthetically pleasing composition. (Source: http://www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz/) Modelled by Tim Barnes, GeoRamic Ltd #Bathhouse #Museum #Rotorua