July 4 2023
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New ‘kauri forest’ opens museum u by Paul Campbell
A ‘forest’ of tall kauri trees redolent with a soundscape of birdlife will greet visitors to The Kauri Museum with the completion of a major redevelopment made possible by a $3 million grant.
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More than 100 guests are expected at a dawn ceremony on July 22 to celebrate the new feature, part of a major museum redevelopment made possible by funding from the former Provincial Growth Fund. Museum board chair Grant McCallum said the funds for redevelopment included creating a research centre where people can access the museum collections and archives to undertake genealogical research and better understand the significance of kauri. Museum director Barbara Hilden was “delighted that this stage of work was finally completed and could be unveiled for the public to enjoy. “It’s been a long time in the making, but we are thrilled with the result. The redevelopment and new forest walkway represent a significant shift in the types of stories we tell, how we present ourselves, and the sort of partnerships we prioritise. Regional museums with traditional settler collections are facing challenges, not only in attracting visitors in today’s digital world but in recognising themes of decolonisation,” said Ms Hilden. “We are on a journey to expand beyond our origins as a settler-oriented community museum into one that tells a national story from a variety of diverse viewpoints.” The new walkway features cleverly designed light boxes, which lead guests through a newly-built space alive with a natural soundscape created by Story Inc, a New Zealand company specialising in compelling stories and digital experiences through cutting-edge technology. Director James McLean says designers used
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p Young Blake and Mia Hardisty from Matakohe had a sneak preview of the new forest walkway
height, sound and light to give a ‘wow’ factor, to tell a more primaeval story and to give visitors a sense of awe and the scale and ancientness of kauri. “Kauri are extraordinary and ancient and are deeply significant to Māori as part of the story of how things came to be. “Today’s museum visitors want new types of immersive experiences to capture their imagination,” says James. “People want more than just a cognitive experience. They can get the content online, but when they come to the
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museum, they want an emotional and substantial experience. So, hopefully, this new entry gives more of a grand, spatial, emotional feeling.” The museum opened in 1962 as a settler collection featuring the kauri with Crown lands coming under the protection of the Department of Conservation by 1987. Kauri trees on private land are now also largely protected. However, a fungus pathogen, Phytophthora agathidicida, known as kauri dieback, threatens the forests. ¢
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