Contact Us
Get in touch with our Museum Educators
Phone: 07 838 6707 or 07 929 2704
Email: education.museum@hcc.govt.nz
Meet the team
Cassandra Barnett
Teenaa koutou! He uri ahau noo Raukawa ki Wharepuuhunga. Ko Ngaati Huri te hapuu, ko Pikituu te marae. I te taha o tooku whaea, noo Ngaati Airihi ooku tuupuna. Neiraa te mihi ki a koutou.
Cassandra started at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato in May 2023, having recently moved to Kirikiriroa - and back home to te awa o Waikato - after many years away. Cassandra worked for 15 years as a university lecturer in contemporary art history and theory, specialising in post- and de-colonial art histories and Maaori and indigenous contemporary art. She is also a writer, critic and bookmaker – and maamaa to her 10 year old son. It is her great delight and privilege to add teaching and learning (and lots of art and storytelling) for tamariki to her education kete.
Elaine Baldwin
Noo Ingarani tooku tuupuna
I tipu ake ahau ki Taamaki Makaurau
Kei morenawhira ahau e noho ana
E mihi ana ki ngaa tohu o nehe o Waikato e noho nei au
Ko te Aroha te maunga e ruu nei taku ngaakau
Ko Waihou te awa o mahea nei aku maaharahara
Ko Baldwin tooku whanau
Ko Elaine tooku ingoa
He kaiako ahau ki te Whare Taonga o Waikato.
Elaine is a primary education and ECE specialist who has worked at Waikato Museum for over ten years. She is a skilled storyteller and is excited to welcome all tamariki to Te Whare Taonga o Waikato.
Feedback from schools and kura
“One of the kids came to me during the visit and said: "This exhibition is fascinating Matua!" It was a fantastic and delightful moment for all of us! The students will take these moments forever, and the knowledge they absorbed that day no one will take from them! It's a precious gift!”
- Maeroa Intermediate School
“The visit was truly wonderful. Seeing the absolute pleasure on the children's faces and hearing the talk from them afterward was wonderful. The educators were wonderful and were just lovely with the children.”
- Hamilton West School
“The whole experience was so positive. I loved how organised everything was, and how my children were specifically catered for. It's an excellent idea how I was able to describe the make-up of my students so that you could be prepared. It's no mean feat to hold 14 children's attention for 2 hours and that's exactly what happened. They were truly engaged for the entire session, and we all learned so much about the awa and whenua.”
- Kio Kio School
“Elaine and Cassandra are amazing!!! They always run such an awesome, interesting and motivating program.”
- Stanley Avenue School
"Having Elaine and her team organise everything meant that we as teachers and parents could focus our attention on the students which was wonderful. I would highly recommend the education team."
- Aberdeen Primary
“This visit was very well run, and we had worries or questions about what was happening because of this excellent organisation. The students loved the storytelling, interactive, and hands-on activities. A very successful day for us.”
- Endeavour Primary School