The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 at what is now called Te Pitowhenua Waitangi Treaty Grounds, perhaps Aotearoa New Zealand’s most important historical site. How the principles of this document are acknowledged and even embedded in schools, public offices, and workplaces reflects its fundamental importance. It is also registered in UNESCO Memory of the World. I visited the site in April 2022, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to write a quick review since the last and only review was written a decade ago.

I took a 3-hour InterCity bus from Auckland to Paihia. This town is also an ideal base for exploring the Bay of Islands and the neighboring Kerikeri Basin Historic Precinct, another tentative UNESCO WHS site. Across Paihia is the town of Russell, the country's first capital. I visited the site on a sunny afternoon, and it was a pleasant 30-minute stroll from Paihia Wharf. Visitors may buy the ticket online (currently NZ$60 for international adult visitors, free for kids), though I chose to just buy at the visitor center. The ticket includes a guided tour of the site and a Māori cultural show, both of which have fixed schedules per day.

To the left of the visitor center is the Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi, a small but gorgeous building that provides visitors with the historical background of the site. Visitors walk through bushes and canopies before arriving at an open shelter that contains the Ngātokimatawhaorua ceremonial waka. This canoe was built to commemorate the centenary of the document’s signing. A track leads to the main grounds, which have a wonderful view of the bay and the islands. The following structures are found on the main grounds:

1. Te Whare Rūnanga –  a building resembling a marae (gathering place) where cultural shows are performed and the guided tours start. I recommend visitors to see the show to get the most out of the expensive ticket, and attend the guided tour as it was very informative (my favorite part of the visit)! Note the elaborate Māori wood carvings in and out of the building. At the time of my visit, our tour started right after the cultural show.
2. Pou Haki flagstaff – considered the very spot where the Treaty was signed.
3. Te Whare Tiriti (see photo) – known as the Treaty House, this was the British Governor’s official residence at the time. If my notes serve me right, several furniture and decorative items are original despite undergoing major restoration and renovation work over the years.
4. Te Rau Aroha Museum of the Price of Citizenship – a museum that I was not able to visit, unfortunately.

The guided tour ended at the waka, and we were given the option to either continue roaming around the grounds or take the Camelia walking track back to the visitor center. I finished what turned out to be a fun and informative visit just before the site closed at 5pm.

In certain aspects (and from a non-expert opinion), I cannot help but compare Waitangi Treaty Grounds with the following sites:

1. Independence Hall – both sites are places where documents of national importance were signed. But does the Treaty of Waitangi have substantial and/or profound influence beyond the shores of Aotearoa New Zealand, just like the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution did?
2. Landscape of Grand Pré – both sites erected monuments to mark the spot of historical events, and many built structures were either constructed after the event or significantly altered over time, though Waitangi reasons that it has a high degree of authenticity and integrity. 

With these, I think that Waitangi Treaty Grounds would have a hard time satisfying even criterion 6. However, one may remain hopeful given that the site has been recently recognized as the country’s first national historical landmark, augmenting its already solid management and protection plans.  

As for the pricing that Solivagant raised, it's indeed quite expensive but I guess I just got used to it here as an international student. In any case, the practice of differentiated pricing is not unique to (and common in) Aotearoa New Zealand.