Napier Borough Council purchased the Tiffen Estate and house in 1907 to provide a site for the Municipal Theatre, which opened in 1912.
The house was the home of Henry Stokes Tiffen, a well-known identity in Napier's early history. It stood on the area now occupied by the upper level car park on the Napier Hill end of Dalton Street.
The steps and flanking pillars are at the foot of a path that leads to the wooded upper slopes of Tiffen Park. Winding paths are a feature of this reserve.
The entrance was built using a bequest of £880 in 1940 by Mary Smith. It was opened in December 1954.