Nairn Street Cottage, Heritage museum in Mount Cook, Wellington, New Zealand.

Nairn Street Cottage is a Georgian-style house in Mount Cook built in 1858, displaying the domestic furnishings and daily life of several generations. The house contains original items and fixtures across multiple rooms that document living conditions from the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s.

William Wallis built this cottage in 1858 after arriving from England with his wife Catherine following a long voyage across the sea. The building remained in family hands for many decades, reflecting the evolution of domestic life through different periods of New Zealand's past.

The cottage displays how family members lived across generations, from Catherine's nursery in the 1860s to Winifred's space in the 1970s. Each room reveals the changing habits and values of people during those eras.

The cottage is best visited on weekends when guided tours are available to walk you through the different rooms. It helps to check ahead of time when tours run and how to reach the site, especially if using public transportation.

The house displays a striking collection of household items that show how everyday technology evolved, from handwritten letters to rotary phones. These objects give a sense of how people managed their work and communication over the span of decades.

• Location: Wellington Region
• Location: Wellington City
• Inception: 1858
• Website: http://colonialcottagemuseum.co.nz/home.html
• GPS coordinates: -41.29930,174.77000
• Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:23