A free workshop for people wanting to learn how to research the social, architectural and ownership history of their houses will be held on May 18 at 10am to 1pm at Tauranga's Greerton Library.

Ben Pick, Heritage New Zealand's Lower Northern Area Manager, will lead the workshop, sharing tips on how people can piece together the history of their homes.

'In most cases, people who own older historic homes do so for a reason. They often love the aesthetic values of heritage homes as well as being part of a continuum of history associated with these buildings,” says Ben.

'Over the years we've had many owners approach us curious about how they might be able to learn more about the style of their home and its history. This workshop is for them – and for anybody with an interest in learning more about our built heritage.”

Topics will include architectural styles, accessing land records and survey plans, directories, online resources, architectural plans, council records and library archives.

'There is actually a lot of information out there that people can access relatively easily. Often people just need a bit of direction as to where to go, what to look for and who to talk to,” he says.

'This workshop will cover all of those points. It's about giving people the information and tools they need to fill in the gaps of their house – the knowledge gaps that is!”

The workshop is supported by Tauranga City Libraries and will take place at the Greerton Library on May 18 from 10am to 1pm.

Admission is free. Bookings however are essential, click here to register.