It was built in 1869 and housed Taplin and Muir's General Store at the time of the first government sale of town sections in 1870.
Its inaugural chair, G Livingston Baker QSM, was instrumental in the establishment of a local repository for the history of the former Patea Borough and County Council's, and the families who had settled in the area.
Through the adoption of the South Taranaki District Council's Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy, the Museum Trust and Council entered into a formal partnership which provided the shared objective of providing heritage services across the wider South Taranaki District.
The Trust cares for the collection, on behalf of the wider community of South Taranaki District, and is responsible for the governance.
The museum closed its doors on 13 September 2008 to undergo a million dollar redevelopment, reopening on 30 April 2011.