Developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney in collaboration with the Avatar Alliance Foundation, James Cameron – Challenging the Deep takes visitors to the depths of oceans through the lens of Cameron’s underwater cameras, and his other technological innovations that have made it possible to explore some of the most mysterious parts of the planet.
Dr Ian Griffin, Otago Museum Director, said this year there were some significant exploration-related anniversaries – 250 years since James Cook’s first contact with tangata whenua, 50 years since the moon landing, Sir Edmund Hillary’s 100th birthday – as well as the Museum’s own 150th anniversary.
"With this in mind, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to inspire a whole new generation of explorers by bringing this world-class exhibition to Dunedin.
“Our city has been jumping off point for some great voyages of exploration – Dunedin was the port of departure for Scott, Shackleton, and Byrd. And, of course, we believe that Dunedin is itself an amazing place to explore. This immersive exhibition about a modern-day explorer presents a perfect opportunity for people from all over New Zealand to explore Dunedin.”
Kevin Sumption, Australian National Maritime Museum Director, said it was a delight for his creative team to have worked directly with James Cameron and the Avatar Alliance Foundation to build the exhibition.
It had proved to be a tremendous success for the Australian National Maritime Museum.
"It is time to share it with the world, and we are thrilled that New Zealand, through our friends at Otago Museum, will be the first stop on what we hope will be a long and successful international tour of this spectacular exhibition.”
Cameron has had a lifelong fascination with the deep oceans. He has led eight major deep-sea expeditions and completed numerous submersible dives, setting world firsts including the first solo dive to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the first exploration of the interior of the wreck of RMS Titanic, and the first seafloor-to-surface live broadcast.
Cameron’s expeditions, in collaboration with oceanographic and scientific institutions, have documented the shipwrecks of RMS Titanic and the German battleship Bismarck, explored deep ocean phenomena, such as black smoker hydrothermal vents, and discovered new species from the lowest point on earth. They have been chronicled in his documentaries and now, for the first time, in an exhibition.
James Cameron said it was about working with people.
"Solving problems, having our machines work in the depths, where a critic’s whim means nothing, where only absolute laws of physics apply, that gives me deep satisfaction. Challenging the Deep allows me to bring people with me on some of my journeys of discovery.”
Otago Museum is partnering with NIWA, New Zealand’s largest provider of ocean science, to stage the exhibition.
John Morgan, NIWA chief executive, said its research took it into the domain " visualised so beautifully in this exhibition".
"It is exciting to see James Cameron shine a spotlight on this rarely seen, but hugely important, environment.”
The Otago Community Trust, Mediaworks and the Otago Daily Times have also committed their support to the project.
Otago Museum Exhibitions Designer Shanaya Allan and Facilities Officer Garry Gibson will be working closely with the original design team to fit the large-scale installation into the Museum’s Special Exhibitions gallery.
Miss Allan said it was a very different style of exhibition to ones they had produced previously. "And it’s really exciting to be working with an international team to bring it here.”
The Dunedin City Council is also supporting the exhibition through its Enterprise Dunedin and Community Development and Events teams, with family entertainment planned to support the opening.
The exhibition opening will be marked with a gala event on Saturday 20 July and will be open to the public from Sunday 21 July, with a full day of public programmes in planning. It will remain open until mid-February when it departs for the next leg of its global tour.
