Sited at the junction of the highways from Christchurch, via Geraldine, and Timaru it marks the transition from the coast and green rolling hills to the rugged high alps, glacial fed lakes and tussock covered landscape of the Mackenzie High Country. It was originally named Fairlie Creek and was founded in around 1865. The railway from the port at Timaru was finally extended to Fairlie in 1884 and ran until 1968. The Fairlie Flyer train is now housed at Pleasant Point and is regularly fired up for tourists and enthusiasts to ride.

The Museum itself started out as the local "smithy" run by Joseph Binney who lived right next door in what is now known as Mabel Binney's Colonial Cottage. When Mabel passed away she bequeathed the cottage to the Museum leaving it exactly as it was with all it's original bric-a-brac intact. Other buildings have been added to the property, including the old Railway Station. Over the years the Museum has acquired an amazing amount of exhibits, not only a stunning array of local farm equipment of bygone days, but also a definitive camera collection spanning decades, diaramas of a typical school room and a local hospital room (some of the equipment here is scary by today's standards!), motorised exhibits from old cars to even older tractors and trucks, all of which go and are regularly run, even to a homebuilt gyrocopter that actually flies!

The Museum Cafe, right on the street frontage of the Museum, gives access to the Museum itself and is a popular refreshment stop for travellers passing through who, once inside,find a tour of the Museum irresistable.

The Museum is managed, run, and maintained by a small group of enthusiastic volunteers and is a credit to their dedication and continuing support.