Last updated November 2026
When the Waikato River was still a working highway, Mercer was a busy riverside village with its own railway station, and the Mercer Art and History Museum sets out to show visitors what that looked like. This small museum on Roose Road, just off State Highway 1, tells the story of Mercer, the river and the river trade through old photographs, a slide show and other displays. It was set up to honour Caesar Roose, the Mercer-born founder of the Roose Shipping Company, and is housed in an old villa. It opens on Fridays and Saturdays, and entry is by koha.
Practical Information
- Address
- 7 Roose Road, Mercer, opposite the Mercer Cheese Shop
- Opening hours
- Friday and Saturday, 10am to 2pm; other times by arrangement
- Entry
- Koha (donation)
- Phone
- 09 233 4277
- Status
- Check the museum’s listing on Hamilton & Waikato Tourism’s website before you go.
About Mercer Art and History Museum
The museum was opened by Jeanette Thomas, the only child of Caesar Roose, to honour her father and the history of the town. It occupies an old villa on Roose Road.
Its focus is Mercer’s life as a river town. The displays look back to the time when the Waikato River was a major trade route and the village was busy with its railway station, and they include photographs and a slide show of that era.
Caesar Roose and the River
Caesar Roose was born in 1886 on an island in the Waikato River at Mercer. He founded the Roose Shipping Company, and Te Ara’s biography records that he also ran timber mills at Mercer; RNZ notes that his shipyards and mills gave work to many people in the town.
Before he died in 1967 he offered money towards a new bridge at Mercer, and the Caesar Roose Bridge opened in 1972.
Around the Museum
At the western end of Roose Road, where it meets Riverbank Road beside the river, stands the ‘Pioneer’ gun turret, a turret from a Waikato War gunboat that now serves as the town’s First World War memorial. Heritage New Zealand lists it as a Category 1 historic place.
Where to Learn More
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism: Mercer Art and History Museum: opening days, contact details and what the museum covers.
Te Ara: Roose, Caesar: a biography of the river trader the museum honours.
Heritage New Zealand: ‘Pioneer’ Gun Turret and War Memorial: the list entry for the memorial at the end of Roose Road.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the museum open?
Friday and Saturday, 10am to 2pm, and at other times by arrangement.
Is there an entry charge?
No set charge. Entry is by koha (donation).
Where is the museum?
At 7 Roose Road, Mercer, just off State Highway 1 and opposite the Mercer Cheese Shop.
What is the museum about?
The history of Mercer, the Waikato River and the river trade, shown through photographs, a slide show and other displays.
Who was Caesar Roose?
A Mercer-born river trader who founded the Roose Shipping Company and ran timber mills at Mercer. The museum was set up to honour him.
Who started the museum?
Jeanette Thomas, Caesar Roose’s only child.
What else is nearby?
The ‘Pioneer’ gun turret and war memorial stands at the western end of Roose Road, beside the Waikato River.
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