The Story Hub at Baring Head / Ōrua-pouanui is a small museum-style visitor centre that helps tell the wider story of this remarkable coastal place. Housed inside the historic Power House, it gives visitors a deeper understanding of the lighthouse station, the surrounding headland, and the people and events connected with the area.
The building itself was originally part of the Baring Head Lighthouse complex, which opened in 1935 above Cook Strait. In its early years, the Power House had a practical and essential role, supplying electricity to the lighthouse and station buildings before mains power reached the site. Today, its purpose has changed. Instead of helping power the lighthouse, it now helps illuminate the history of the place.
Inside, the Story Hub brings together information on many aspects of Baring Head / Ōrua-pouanui, including Māori history, maritime navigation, shipwrecks, wartime activity, geology, ecology, scientific monitoring, and the daily lives of the lighthouse keepers and their families. It is not a large museum / visitor centre, but it provides valuable context for anyone exploring the lighthouse area and the rugged coastline around the headland.
