This gracious Kauri villa was the family home of pioneering suffragist Kate Sheppard from 1888 to 1902 and was the operations base for the national women’s suffrage campaign in New Zealand. Within its walls, she and fellow suffragists organized the movement to win New Zealand women the right to vote. After being purchased by the New Zealand Government, the four-bedroom house underwent major renovations before officially opening as a museum and research center on December 15th, 2020, attended by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Visitors today can seek inspiration in the carefully curated elements celebrating Sheppard’s life and work and providing intimate glimpses into her world. While not an exact period replica, the interior design gives a contemporary twist to Victorian-era details like wallpaper printed with suffragist petition signatures. In the dining room, where the movement is strategized, chairs represent Sheppard’s key allies. The women’s suffrage petition roll with 32,000 signatures was pasted together in this dining room before being sent to Wellington’s House of Representatives. Exhibits also highlight key milestones in the progress of women’s rights in New Zealand, recognizing the critical role of Māori suffragists like Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia. Complementing the revelatory interiors are the peaceful grounds encompassing an acre of trees, gardens, and riverside pathways, which Sheppard and her first husband first tended. In this garden on September 19th, 1893, Sheppard received the famous telegram informing her of the Electoral Law reform giving women the right to vote. After exploring the house, visitors can continue their local history experience. Nearby sites include the majestic Riccarton House, the humble Deans Cottage dating to 1843, and a walking track through remnant podocarp forest. A 10-minute drive from the Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House to downtown Christchurch is the Kate Sheppard Memorial. Read more...