Like most small-town Kiwi museums, this one has some unexpected surprises—a replica village called Beavertown, for instance, which reflects how Blenheim would have looked in the 1900s. Created in the 1960s, the village takes its name from Blenheim’s early names,  "Beaver Station" and "The Beaver," which came about because of the town’s propensity to flood. In addition, there are terrific collections of historical photographs, film and video collections, textiles, and, outside, vintage cars and machinery.