The figurehead from the barque England’s Glory and the Fresnel lens from the Waipapa Point Lighthouse, familiar to generations of Southland families, will be part of new exhibits being designed and put together by a specialist team for the new Te Unua Museum of Southland.
Detailed designs for the exhibits at the new Gala St site, which will all be new and bespoke, are expected to be finalised by the end of the month as the museum rebuild enters its next phase.
Museum team leader experience David Dudfield said both displays’ stories would be told in a new way, as would those of many other items in the museum’s collection.
"We know the people of our region feel a deep sense of connection and investment in the collection items they are already familiar with. Going through the process, and working out how we can tell the stories behind these familiar objects in fresh and engaging ways, is really exciting.’’
There was also a nice connection between the stories of shipwrecks and lighthouses with voyaging narratives that would be woven throughout Te Unua, he said.
Gibson International, which was involved in the design of visitor experiences at Tumu Toka Curioscape, Punakaiki on the West Coast, and at the cultural and marine education space e Te Wharekura in Auckland, and the Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience in Western Australia, has designed the new exhibits for the redeveloped museum and will next be building them.
Museum director Eloise Wallace said it made sense to be working with Gibson on the build phase to ensure continuity of the project.
Gibson International co-owner and creative producer Brett Tompkins said the project had been unique.
"The opportunity to create an entire museum experience from scratch is incredibly rare — especially in New Zealand. It’s a huge responsibility we don’t take lightly."
Construction is set to be completed by September and the museum is planned to be open by 2027.
