A touring show which conjures up the heartbreak and hopes
arising from the Canterbury earthquakes is proving a popular
and, for some, a highly emotional experience at the Otago
Museum.
Museum organisers said 6175 people had visited the
''Canterbury Quakes'' show since it opened in Dunedin on
November 24.
A few people have been overcome with emotion, including at
least one person who burst into tears during the exhibition,
which was brought together by the Canterbury Museum and
initially displayed there.
Museum collections, research and experience director Clare
Wilson said, during a report to the Otago Museum Board on
Wednesday, that at a time when the quakes were receding
slightly in community consciousness, the show highlighted the
need for continuing compassion for Dunedin's near neighbours.
Some visitors had found the exhibition an emotional
experience, and museum staff working there had received
further training in how to support people who might become
upset.
People who were former residents of Christchurch or visitors
from there were among those most likely to be affected, she
said.
The exhibition runs until May 5.
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