Kemp House, also known as the Mission House, is the oldest surviving building in New Zealand, constructed in 1821 and 1822 as part of the Kerikeri Mission Station established by the Church Missionary Society. It is a two-storey Georgian timber building, built to house the mission's clergy and their families, and its materials were largely imported from Australia — a necessary measure when local craftwork and timber were difficult to obtain to the required standard.
The house was occupied by James Kemp and his family for most of the 19th century. Charlotte Kemp ran a school for the daughters of local Maori chiefs here, making it an early centre for the intersection of colonial and Maori life. The Kemp family maintained the property until 1974, when Ernest Kemp donated it to the National Historic Places Trust. Heritage New Zealand now operates it as a museum and it can be visited as part of the Kerikeri Basin heritage walk.
The building is Category 1 heritage listed and its interior has been carefully preserved. Rooms are furnished to reflect different periods of its occupation, and the garden around it retains something of the character of the original mission grounds.