New research by history of science honorary curator Dr Rosi Crane has uncovered "the often-overlooked stories of women" who served as collectors, donors, friends of curators, academics and designers, showcasing their intricate relationships with the museum in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
"Uncovering a husband’s and wife’s individual contribution to a collection is hard, if not impossible," Dr Crane said.
"Societal conventions often subsumed the woman’s role under her husband’s name, making it challenging to accurately credit their work."
Despite these challenges, Dr Crane’s primary sources, including the museum’s notoriously scanty registers and rare mentions in annual reports, revealed the significant, yet frequently unacknowledged, participation of women in the museum’s history.
Their involvement ranged from donating collections, to conducting scientific research and presenting talks to both scientific gatherings and local community groups.
One notable figure highlighted is Lily Daff, the museum’s first female professional employee, who rose to become the officer in charge of exhibitions.
Her contributions included registering more than 25% of the museum’s objects and creating more than 4000 label cards for the new Fels Wing.
Her talent extended to modelling and technical drawing, and her works can be found in all departments of the museum.
Other women included Miss Solomon (the first woman collector identified in the registers), Susie Shand, Marjorie Mestayer, Josephine Rich, Marion Fyfe, Annie Greenslade, Fanny Wimperis and Blanche Halcombe.
Dr Crane’s research underscores the complexity and significance of women’s contributions to the museum, revealing that their participation in public affairs and scientific endeavours was often more accessible in colonial New Zealand than in the United Kingdom.
"Women’s contributions to Otago Museum’s history have often gone unrecognised," Dr Crane said.
"This research provides the context to acknowledge the impactful and impressive work they did."
