Olveston

Otago

Gifted to The City by the Theomin family, this home has become a modern masterpiece of the Edwardian era, yet its collections reflect a fashion more akin to the zest of Victorian collectors. The 35-room mansion,complete with original collections, was opened to the public in 1967. In historic terms, it is already priceless - a time capsule. Visitors are very conscious of the family throughout the home, enjoying and experiencing the many treasures that were an integral part of the family’s day-to-day life. Olveston captures this lifestyle completely. There is no more accurate or definitive example in New Zealand. Olveston was designed for David Theomin by London architect Sir Ernest George and built between 1904 and 1906. The Jacobean-style grace and grandeur of Olveston is distinguished by a wealth of decorative detail. It possessed a service lift linking all four storeys; the house was centrally heated and had an internal telephone system, all very much ahead of its time.