Whanganui Regional Museum

The Whanganui Regional Museum in Whanganui, New Zealand, has an extensive collection of natural and human-history objects. The emphasis is on items from the Manawatu-Wanganui region, but the collection also includes objects of national and international significance, such as Pacific tapa, ceramics from Asia and Cyprus, and moa bones from nearby Makirikiri Swamp.[1]

Local naturalist and jeweller Samuel Henry Drew was instrumental in establishing the museum; his private collection was sold to the town, and he was honorary curator when the then-Wanganui Public Museum opened on 24 March 1895.[2]

The Museum is now located at Queen's Park Memorial, Watt Street, Whanganui.[3] The Queen's Park building was constructed in 1928[4] and extended in 1968

Whakahoutanga: Whanganui Regional Museum seismic strengthening and refurbishment project

The upcoming Whakahoutanga project is designed to rejuvenate the Museum’s buildings and their contents with a combination of earthquake strengthening, reconstruction and refurbishment. The work will be carried out by the Whanganui District Council and will take up to 18 months to complete. While it is under way, many Museum programmes will continue in a variety of venues, including the Davis Theatre and Education Room, but others will have to be suspended to allow the work to be carried out safely.

As a result, we will have to restrict public access to the Queens Park buildings from September 5, 2016. From September 19, the Museum office, shop and visitor gallery will be shifted to the former Post Office building at 62 Ridgway St.

The Museum Archive will still be accessible through the rear entrance, but donations and loans will be suspended during the building work. LEOTC programmes for schools will continue as usual.

References

  1. Worthy, Trevor H. (1989). "An analysis of moa bones (Aves: Dinornithiformes) from three lowland North Island swamp sites: Makirikiri, Riverlands and Takapau Road". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 19 (4): 419–432. doi:10.1080/03036758.1989.10421845.
  2. Noble, Kaye (7 June 2013). "Drew, Samuel Henry". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  3. Whanganui Regional Museum
  4. Whanganui Places –Te Ara

Coordinates: 39°55′54″S 175°03′07″E / 39.9317°S 175.0519°E / -39.9317; 175.0519


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