Each year the Museum curates four temporary feature exhibitions that run from 2–4 months and include a variety of topics and themes.

[2][3][4][5] In 1961, the Hunua branch of the Federated Farmers proposed the formation of a historical society to the Papakura Borough Council.

Councillors Ernie Clarke and Deryck Milne were selected to begin work on the proposal and on December 6, 1961, an initial planning meeting was attended by twenty-nine members of the community.

[8] The Papakura District Council built a community education complex called 'Accent Point House' at 209 Great South Road.

This building was created to house the Sir Edmund Hillary Library, a schools resource centre, and the Papakura Museum.

Then in 1990, Big Hats, Scent Pots and Old Joe was published in conjunction with the Papakura Council for the New Zealand 1990 Project.

[24] In 2011, the first edition of Open All Hours; Main Street Papakura c1865 - c1938 by Dr Michelle Ann Smith was published by the museum.

This publication looks at the importance of the town's main street, as well as including information and anecdotes about some of the business owners and workers.

[25] In 2022, "Lens on Papakura" was published as a companion book to the temporary exhibition of the same name that was held at the museum during the same time.