History buff or not, Middlemarch’s great little museum has a lot to offer.

Scenes from the past have been lovingly recreated with the many exhibits celebrating all aspects of life on the Strath Taieri.

A recent addition is a restored railway wagon detailing the significant contribution the Otago Central Railway made to the local community. This is illustrated by an elaborate timeline wrapped around all four walls.

In a region with a history rich in farming there is the collection of horse-drawn implements and farming tools, including a curious field roller made from wood.

An interesting item located outside the museum is the submarine, Platypus, designed and built in 1873 to prospect for gold.

The Museum’s extensive photographic collection will be of interest to people retracing their family’s history. Also significant are the cemetery transcripts, death notices, obituaries and unique catalogue of newspaper articles about people who lived in or had association with the Strath Taieri.