Museum organisers do not want to "overwhelm the visitor with
lots of text" when the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum reopens to
the public after its $40 million redevelopment.
Museum director Linda Wigley said information would be
provided about artefacts in the usual way, but efforts were
being made to avoid overloading visitors with too much
text-based material when the complex reopened on December 8.
There would be eight screen-equipped "people posts" and three
"information stations" throughout the redeveloped complex, as
well as the museum's archives section, and a research centre.
The interactive "people posts" will be about 1.8m high and
will enable visitors to view minute-long film clips in which
Otago people talk about their ancestors.
At a museum board meeting this week, museum community liaison
officer Philippa Keaney outlined her work in recording the
film clips, as part of the museum's "Our Voices" programme.
Ms Keaney has completed more than 100 interviews with members
of groups, including the Otago Polish community.
And the filming had been undertaken in collaboration with
Aoraki Polytechnic.
Board member Richard Thomson asked if a theatrette could be
set up for visitors to watch historical films longer than the
minute-long clips.
Ms Wigley said later this was a good idea and a screen could
be made available in the research centre area.
- john.gibb@odt.co.nz
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