J.K McCarthy Museum

The J.K. McCarthy Museum is a section of the National Museum and Art Gallery, which is one of the most beautiful historical sites in Papua New Guinea. It is located in West Goroka, in the Eastern Highlands Province, in the back corner of the National Sports Institute. John Keith McCarthy, a distinguished patrol officer who served in the Highlands region before becoming a member of the Old House of Assembly and a previous member of the National Museum & Art Gallery Board of Trustees, is honored with the museum's name.

The museum is a project of the Goroka Rotary Club. It was founded to accompany the yearly Goroka Show, with the goal of documenting, preserving, and promoting Eastern Highlands Province's cultural history for future generations. The building's architectural design is based on a traditional highland roundhouse. It first opened its doors to the general public in 1965.

The museum's first acquisition was a gift of 64 artifacts from McCarthy's personal collection. The museum today houses about 6,000 pieces in its six galleries, which include the Niugini Room, Giddings Gallery, Leahy Wing, Soso Subi, and Archaeology Room. The museum is open for visitors Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.