Thousands of people have been transported back in time as
they flowed through the revamped Toitu Otago Settlers Museum.
''Fantastic'', ''amazing'' ''awesome'' were adjectives used
by some of the many visitors to the museum yesterday as
people wandered through the social history museum, freshly
opened after a two-and-a-half-year $37.5 million
redevelopment.
The building has been extended, with a new building and the
refurbishment of an old railways depot doubling its gallery
space, and innovative displays and interactive technology
bringing it into the modern day.
But it was the past it featured that attracted many.
''It takes you way back in time,'' Englishman Ernie Dobson,
who was on holiday in New Zealand, said.
For the children, it was being able to touch and interact
with many displays.
Museum director Linda Wigley said visitor numbers were being
monitored electronically but the data was not available
yesterday. She hoped to have some figures available today.
The weekend could not have gone better and there was a sense
of relief that the museum had opened in time, she said.
''We're elated. We had so many people through and some really
positive feedback."
Many she spoke to said they would be coming back as there was
so much to see and do, she said.
With Pixie Town opening today, she did not think visitor
numbers would be slowing down, especially with the holiday
season close.
''I don't think it's going to stop."
The grand opening weekend followed Maori and civic opening
ceremonies on Friday, and featured local music and community
performances from salsa to Indian classical dance and
capoeria displays, Japanese drumming, traditional Polish
dances and wartime songs from a 60s-plus entertainment group.
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