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Preserving Treasures Of The Past - 1
The Otago Museum
Dorothy - 22/8/98
A vibrant place with changing exhibitions and long-term
displays to interest visitors of all ages.
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The entrance to the Otago Museum
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The Otago Museum is a place not to be missed when you visit Dunedin. The
long-term displays are constantly being upgraded and added to and the
special displays are frequently changed to offer something new. In this
year when Otago is celebrating 150 years of organised settlement there are
some extra features of interest.
When did it all begin?
In 1868, just twenty years after the first settlers arrived in Dunedin, the
first museum was opened. The Scots who founded the Otago settlement had a
great concern with education and from 1858 moves were afoot to build an
Athenaeum to contain a reading room, a library and a museum. This was to
be a museum of local and provincial natural history.
An early emphasis on mineral research
Dr (later Sir) James Hector was appointed by the Provincial Government to
undertake a geological survey of Otago and was asked to purchase a set of
typical mineral specimens before he left London. These were to be
displayed in the museum and as Dr James discovered rocks and minerals of
importance in the province these were to be added to the collection. Such
exhibits were thought to be of particular interest in the gold rush days.
By the time the small museum was opened in the south gallery of the Post
Office in 1868 the number of specimens had increased to five thousand.
Museum building opened in 1877
In 1977 the Museum was transferred by Act of Parliament to the University
of Otago and a close link with the University has continued.
The Hocken Wing 1910
When Dr Thomas Hocken gifted his valuable collection of books, manuscripts
and ethnographic material, more space was needed and with local
subscription and a government subsidy the money was raised for a new wing
- the Hocken Wing.
The Willi Fels Wing 1929
The collections in the museum grew as valuable ethnographic, archaeological
and classical collections were established. Mr Willi Fels presented his
extensive collection of coins, Oriental arms and Maori material. A group
of businessmen raised money which with a government subsidy funded the
building of the South Wing, now known as the Willi Fels Wing.
Centennial Memorial Wing opened debt-free 1963
The growth of the museum and the achievement of opening this wing debt-free
are evidence of how it is valued by the local community.
The Hocken Library - a research library open to the public
The Hocken Library has moved to a larger site, but is still in close
proximity to the University and the Museum. This is a research library and
is accessible to the public. Thanks to a trust fund, The Friends of the
Hocken Collections, and donated material, there are frequent additions to
this resource. In addition to books it has a large collection of archives
and photographs.
Some Long-Term Features Of The Otago Museum
Tangata Whenua Gallery
Including Southern Maori Collections and an
exhibition on Polynesia and Melanesia
These are on the floor where you enter.
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Maori Hall, Shag River mouth reconstruction
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People of the World
This gallery includes Egyptian material, a very fine collection of Greek
ceramics and a range of other ceramics, textiles and costumes, and other
artefacts from different parts of the world.
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Islamic ceramics
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Natural history
Some impressive natural history displays relate to insects, New Zealand
birds, and marine life. Recently the collection of insect material was
greatly increased by the gift of 108,000 pinned and labelled specimens from
the private collection of Brian Patrick. It included specimens of fourteen
insect orders, with major holdings of New Zealand moths, butterflies,
beetles, stoners, caddis and bugs.
"The Animal Attic"
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Animal Attic
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This section has original natural history displays from many parts of the
world with animals, birds, and geological samples, all displayed in the
style of a Victorian museum. It is appropriately housed on the top floor
of the original building built in the Victorian era with a beautiful kauri
interior.
Special displays
Some of these feature material from the extensive Otago Museum resources in
storage like the recent display of Chinese textiles and costumes which will
be the subject of an article in NZine in two weeks, and others are visiting
exhibitions like 'Reckoning with the Past', a recent exhibition, of
contemporary Chinese painting. Some show the work of local art and craft
groups.
Exhibitions coming up include Aladdin's Cave, The Patient Planet, and
Twenty Five Years of artist Graeme Sydney.
Acknowledgement of Dunedin's American sister city, Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia, USA is a sister city of Dunedin and in Portsmouth
Week the museum organised activities focused on the ports of Otago and
Portsmouth and the navy as Portsmouth has strong links with the American
Naval forces.
Exhibition from Dunedin's Japanese sister city, Otaru
'Otaru Past to Present, a 12,000 Year Story'
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Entrance to the Otaru exhibition
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>From August 4 1998 until mid-February 1999 there is an exhibition from
Dunedin's Japanese sister city, Otaru on Hokkaido, the northern island of
Japan. This magnificent cultural exhibition features a collection of
exceptional antiquities - finely crafted tribal art and artefacts of the
Ainu people, early Japanese historic artefacts and photographs from
northern Japan.
Treasures never before seen outside Japan
Exquisite treasures, some never before seen outside Japan, have been loaned
by the Otaru Museum, the Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum and the Historical
Museum of Hokkaido for this exhibition held at the Otago Museum and
organised by Otaru to mark the 150th anniversary of organised settlement in
Otago.
Early archaeological artefacts
Archaeologial material shows something of the life of the Jomon people who
were living by hunting, fishing and gathering food some 8000 years ago.
These people represent the first stage in the formation of
Japanese culture. There are also objects from the next stage - the
Satsumon culture.
The Ainu culture
The Ainu, the indigenous people of the island of Hokkaido in Northern
Japan, flourished in the region of Otaru for centuries. This exhibition
includes Ainu art which attracted great interest recently when exhibited in
Europe. As it is rarely seen outside Japan this is a unique opportunity
for people in New Zealand to view it.
Our Story in Stamps
In the People of the World Gallery there is a display of stamps showing how
the story of Otago and Southland can be found on New Zealand postage
stamps. Beginning with the coming of the Polynesian people it includes
many of the events of importance before the planned settlement in 1848.
Many aspects of life in the south in the next 150 years are encapsulated in
the stamps. All the stamps are part of the Otago Museum's own collection
and the display was organised by Honorary Curator, Mel Carr.
Discovery World
This is a hands-on science centre with changing displays on different
aspects of science and technology. It includes some natural history
displays which are always there, including live terrapins, frogs and guinea
pigs. Discovery World regularly hosts touring exhibitions. Visitors can
phone the museum to check on what is currently being shown.
Admission
Admission to the museum galleries is by 'Donation please'.
Discovery World and some special exhibitions carry a small admission charge.
More expansion to the buildings planned
Further building plans for 1998-2000 will cause some disruption, but the
major part of the museum will always be available to the public with
permanent and short term displays.
Be sure to put the Otago Museum on your list of places to visit.
Read the other articles published in Nzine about:
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