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Southern Land, Southern People
A landmark gallery for the Otago Museum
Opened in August 2002, Southern Land, Southern People is the landmark
gallery of the Otago Museum in Dunedin. It portrays the uniqueness,
diversity and dynamic character of the region to local communities. For
visitors from afar it serves as a gateway to Southern New Zealand,
informing them about the climate, the geology and the marine, terrestrial
and human history of this area.
With a floor area of almost 1,200m2, Southern Land, Southern People is the
largest long term gallery project ever undertaken by the Otago Museum.
Space for it was created by the redevelopment of the Museum in recent
years. Through its expansive vision, modern exhibition techniques, stunning
audio visual media, and above all, its outstanding collection items, the
new gallery integrates the region's natural history and human history with
style - informative, innovative and entertaining style. It is a celebration
of the many wonders of Southern New Zealand. It opens eyes, awakens
curiosity.
New Zealand south of the Waitaki River catchment is the gallery's region of
focus but there is an emphasis on Otago stories. Here is a region of
superlatives and extremes - driest, wettest, coldest, highest, windiest,
wildest, most remote. The gallery explains the origins of this challenging
landscape and environment, how people discovered and explored it, how they
utilised its natural resources, and how its challenging nature rubbed off
on the people in the form of 'southern character'.
Southern Land
The themes include climate, geology and a history of life in Southern New
Zealand as told through the fossil record. The climate story illustrates
the influence of ocean currents and the globe-encircling West Wind Drift on
Southern New Zealand's weather patterns. Nearby, an area dedicated to
southern geology covers elements such as the Dunedin Volcano, Alpine Fault
(when is the next big rupture likely to occur?), and the origins of schist,
gold and greenstone.
Flowing on from the geology exhibits, a unique collection of fossils
describes the history of life in Southern New Zealand, starting with the
earliest fossils (around 500 million years old) and working forward in
time. There are two streams to this story - marine and terrestrial. The
marine side reveals a saga of world significance, excavated from North
Otago limestone - the evolution of whales, dolphins and penguins in the
Southwest Pacific. Highlights on the terrestrial side include the presence
of a Jurassic forest in the Catlins and the development less than 20
million years ago of an Everglades-like wetland environment, complete with
crocodiles, in what is now Central Otago. A striking exhibit is New
Zealand's largest fossil, the Shag Point plesiosaur - a striking
sea-serpent like creature.
Supported by fossils drawn mainly from the collection at the University of
Otago Geology Department and a series of commissioned reconstruction
paintings, this history-of-life theme will amaze visitors. Alongside it are
exhibits demonstrating the impacts of island isolation and the evolution of
large size and flightlessness among New Zealand's birds. The world's most
complete collections of moa
skeletons is on display here, together with the subfossil remains of eagle,
adzebill and other extinct fauna.
Southern People
The themes begin with discovery, exploration and survival in the last
habitable landmass discovered by humans. To survive in Southern New
Zealand, people had to cope with a challenging climate and landscape, both
highly variable. Richly illustrated panels and a superb array of objects
illustrate early Maori lifestyles and the experience of the Europeans who
followed, making maps and portraying the land through paintings and
photography.
The use of natural resources is a major theme. Resources of grass and gold
dominated the early period of European settlement following exploitation of
fur seals and flax. Sheep farmers were followed by waves of gold miners.
Then came more intensive agriculture and the utilisation of resources such
as clay and coal.
Big rivers, formidable mountains and jungle-like rainforest were among the
physical challenges. Frontiers continue to unfold. Adventure tourism probes
the limits of recreation, and wild places challenge eco-tourists.
Throughout the gallery there is an evocation of southern character.
Landmarks
Visitors to the gallery are greeted by a semi-circle of 10 landmarks that
highlight the main journeys within the Gallery. Among them are the
weathered totara fenceposts representing pastoralism and rangeland
resources, a mounted takahe to illustrate flightlessness in a paradise for
birds, and a wind-blasted rock or ventifact to demonstrate the power of the
'Roaring Forties' winds. The ceiling near the entrance portrays two
spectacular phenomena of southern skies - the Southern Cross and Aurora
Australis, the Southern Lights. A superb gallery, collection and
scholarship rich, Southern Land, Southern People is one of New Zealand's
premier museum experiences!
Don't leave Dunedin without a visit to Southern Land, Southern People - a
true celebration of the southern soul!
Entry to Southern Land, Southern People is covered by the Museum entry
donation.
Guided Tours available at 3 pm. $10 per person
(Free to Otago residents bringing visitors).
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