View of the Rotorua Museum of Art and History, Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand. The museum is housed in the historic Bath House building, located in the Government Gardens. The Bath House was once a geothermal spa offering therapeutic treatments to visitors from all over the world. Rotorua Museum opened in the South Wing of the building in 1969 and Rotorua Art Gallery opened in the North Wing in 1977. In 1988 the two operations combined to become Rotorua Museum of Art and History. The Museum houses collections focusing on local Maori culture, as well as fine arts, photographic and social history collections.