Puke Ariki is New Plymouth's combined museum, library, and i-SITE visitor centre, opened in 2003 on a hill above the waterfront. It is an unusually good regional museum: the natural history and Māori taonga (treasures) collections are strong, and the displays on Taranaki's geological history — including the formation and activity of Mount Taranaki — are well done. A walkway connects the building directly to the coastal walkway below.
The name means "hill of the chiefs," and the site has significance in local Māori history. The library occupies much of the building and is freely accessible. Temporary exhibitions cover local history, natural history, and the arts. The museum café and gift shop are respectable. Free entry for the permanent collection.