Waikato Museum’s collection secrets revealed

20 February 2020

A new guided tour at Waikato Museum will showcase hidden treasures and allow visitors to enter areas of the museum normally out of bounds.

Led by a volunteer tour guide and one of the Museum’ four curators, the public will be able to see priceless, rarely-viewed items in its collection of more than 30,000 taonga.

Waikato Museum Director Cherie Meecham says: “We’re looking forward to taking visitors behind-the-scenes to see nationally significant artworks, priceless taonga that reflect our unique Maaori heritage, and social history items reflecting everyday life in the past.”

Ms Meecham says: “Our job is to collect and care for our region’s taonga and to use it to share stories and to stimulate awareness and understanding of our heritage.

“Our new Collection Secrets tour will allow visitors to see parts of the Museum that are not normally open to the public, to learn about the skilled work that goes on to preserve our historical treasures, and what we have to do when we mount exhibitions that include some of these items. Visitors will get a unique understanding of the value the Museum has for our region.”

The tour will run once a month at 11.30am on the last Thursday of each month except on public and school holidays. It will be limited to a maximum of 12 people at a time and will cost $25 per person.

Visitors wanting to book for the tour are encouraged to state their main interest (art, culture, history or science) to ensure the Curator responsible for this area of interest is available.

For more information, and to book a place on the tour, go to: www.waikatomuseum.co.nz/tours

Image: Volunteer tour guide Peter Gillies will lead Waikato Museum visitors behind-the-scenes to see priceless pieces from the museum’s collection.

For more information contact: 

Crystal Beavis
Partnerships and Communications Manager
07 974 0535
027 808 8761
crystal.beavis@hcc.govt.nz