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  • Home
  • Our History, Your Future
  • Visit us
    • Learning
  • Collections & Stories
  • Projects
  • Featured Media
    • Documents
  • Get Involved
    • Donate

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Hours

  • Closed for now.
  • Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday by appointment for groups and schools.

Contact

  • tel: 06 927 7080
  • email: enquiries@ecmot.org.nz

Entry

  • Adults: $10
  • Student/Gold Card: $5
  • Children
    Primary/Secondary: $2
    Under 5: Free

Location

  • star rating  If you are ever in Gisborne and have half day to spare away from the surf- make a point of visiting this place. It is the largest most eclectic... read more collection of old technology he I have seen. Do not be put off by the initial thought that this a sort of junkyard - but take a stroll through the past. Old agricultural machines; cars; fire engines; radios; computers; telephones; cookers; sewing machines and much more. The exhibitions are a bit disorganised- but that is part of the charm of his repository of old technology - where nothing is thrown away.

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    Patrick A
    04/03/2018

    star rating  It demonstrates historic things about this gisborne city and put up for display. Not so interesting if the city is not so personal to you.

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    AbhishekS3902
    29/08/2019

    star rating  A hidden gem  - A surprising find.
    I was in town for the weekend visiting family and decided to look up a morning activity, this looked like something I'd enjoy and wow. I was... read more right.

    So much technology packed into a small site. Each warehouse is themed and so interesting.

    I'd highly recommend a stop off for a couple of hours - I would mention if you have small children be sure to watch them while visiting the exhibits.

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    avatar thumb alicesmith100
    04/03/2024
  • star rating  Well worth a visit. There was so much to see and appreciate. We were impressed by the range of things to view. So many cool old fire trucks and cars.

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    jbecknz
    23/04/2022

    star rating  Laid out across half a dozen large sheds, the ECMT is a wonderfull trip down memory lane or into a forgotten world.
    Most exhibits are ‘as is, where is’... read more leaving the overall narrative to the viewer to work out. Not so much curated as collected and cared for.

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    geoffh452
    03/01/2021

    star rating  What a treasure trove! My workmates and I had an amazing time fossicking through the archives at The East Coast Museum of Technology. We explored the 'tool shed' with growing... read more excitement and when we made it into the 'computer lab' we were speechless! It inspired The Mind Lab Gisborne team to conceive workshop ideas that might give us the opportunity to return and/or partner with ECMoT. Love what you do. THANK YOU!!!

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    Shanon O
    26/09/2017
  • star rating  I love takign my son here when we visit gisborne and we try to visit each time we come. Its a fun interactive museum and i especialy enjoy the... read more boat, you can go in it and look in all the rooms i really love it.

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    Acbriggs
    20/04/2017

    star rating  We found this place by looking online - didn't look much on the approach but what a fantastic place this is once you get inside. Reasonably priced and run mainly... read more by volunteers. We started looking around and got chatting to Kelvin (one of the volunteers) who took us on a personal tour. They have different shed that cover all sorts of technology, Domestic (kitchens, sewing machines etc) Cars, Trucks, Fire Engines, Motor bikes, Tools, Computers to name a few. There is literally something for everyone. This place is a must see.

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    Jayne H
    02/07/2018

    star rating  Great Day Out!  - Awesome collection could spend many hours out there!
    So much History of the region and greater NZ.

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    avatar thumb Nomad33144574555
    04/12/2023
  • star rating  I visited recently and was blown away with how much there was to see. I love technology, engineering, cars and exploring how things work, that's why this place was... read more epic. Being able to be hands on was super engaging and is awesome for the children. There was almost too much to see and I only wish I had longer. I really like how you are left in this huge space to just explore and work out what's what. An amazing local resource and I'll be back again with friends and family. Oh and a bargain at $5.

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    EmilyW3911
    26/09/2017

    star rating  The size of this collection has to be seen to be believed. There are cars, lorries, farm vehicles, household items and all manner of small and large pieces of... read more equipment and technology. There is so much and it's a shame to see vehicles in the open rusting and rotting away. There are some classic vehicles here that if sold in the UK could raise enough to restore much of what would be left. It's a fascinating place, but rather sad as well.

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    janineb0
    12/01/2017

    star rating  We hadn’t planned to stop here, but with some time to spare in Gizzy, we thought we’d visit. We were blown away by the sheer amount of artefacts here -... read more from literally all sectors of everyday life of our recent past. Memory lane, good and bad, inspiring and interesting. Highly recommend.

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    Wowzap
    26/04/2021
  • star rating  Must do when visiting Gisborne - Well worth the visit even if you're not a fan of museums. Great history, modern original display - lots to see - arty - historical - great maritime section.... read more Original homestead next door really interesting to see too. Great value - inexpensive entry.

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    avatar thumb KiwiBliss
    13/03/2025

    star rating  We were welcomed by a very friendly volunteer. After paying a meagre $5 admission he pointed out the types of exhibits in each of a number of sheds, on... read more the floor plan map he gave us.
    There was a mass of items packed onto each " themed:" shed. Some items were labelled. Much was unrestored and possibly will never be. It is good to see it is undercover and loved rather than being taken to a scrap yard.
    It is worth the money if you want to see a huge collection of items from yesteryear.

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    malcolma43
    13/05/2017

    star rating  The people who work here are volunteers and they are there, because they like history and being around old things, and trying to make them breathe again. You will get... read more to see different kind of old stuff, starting from oldest washing and sewing machines to fire trucks and mopeds. You might even experience old mower working again. The price is well worth the value you get to see. I think they spent more in fuel when they demonstrated old things in working condition.

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    LoveNZ2017
    19/01/2017
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