A guided tour in Kuru Taonga: Voices of Kahungunu provides a learning opportunity to visitors at MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri.
Laura Vodanovich is the MTG’s director
OPINION
One of the many roles of museums and galleries is to provide a place for lifelong learning.
Learning of course doesn’t always have to be formal, everyone learns things every day through all sorts of simple, serious, or fun interactions or events – conversations with people, watching a film, seeing a piece of art that takes your breath away, through comedy and humour, or even as simple as learning about the little arrow by the fuel gauge in your car (that one made my life easier).
At MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri, we provide learning opportunities through various methods from a light touch to more in-depth. Some of the light touch things we provide are activity trails for children to find items throughout the museum, a dress-up and photograph spot, hands-on activities in various exhibitions, or the drop-in-zone available on weekends and school holidays for families to engage in a variety of craft activities. Play is a great way to absorb information and an easy and natural way to learn – just like fun and relaxed workplaces are more productive, so too minds work well when they’re having fun.
The New Zealand International Film Festival that finished last weekend is another great example of a fun way to engage with lifelong learning. Whether the films are about different cultures, different moments in time, different perspectives, ethical dilemmas, fantasy or imagination – all of them provide fuel for our brains to ponder. Other films we offer throughout the year – ArtBeats, National Theatre Live, the Metropolitan Opera and Sunday Cinema, provide a rich feast of visual experiences.
We try to engage with key cultural events throughout the year such as Chinese New Year, Waitangi, Diwali, Matariki, Nuit Blanche and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, through providing easy ways to engage but also opportunities to go a little deeper – we too are on a learning journey in this space and adding more as time and resources allow. As a public-facing institution, we have not only the opportunity but also the responsibility to participate alongside the community to engage in these important moments throughout the year.
There are plenty of more “traditional” or formal learning opportunities at the museum. We have a small but dedicated team of educators who develop programmes for schools that support them to engage with Aotearoa/New Zealand’s history and, in particular, using the exhibitions and collections we hold to provide a unique education experience for students. With changing exhibitions and schools wanting a particular subject matter or lens, our educators are continually developing new programmes to meet this demand. We also offer exhibition tours, public talks, and a lecture series in collaboration with the Eastern Institute of Technology.
Perhaps the most well-known learning experience we provide is exhibitions – these require varying levels of research depending on the subject matter, the length of display, and the primary outcome for each display. Research isn’t always being nose deep in books or archival material but can also include talking with or interviewing experts or those who have experienced events – in some cases it is mostly in the talking to others, such as Pūrakau o te whenua, where local knowledge holders are telling their stories of the land.
Whether it is youngsters coming in and engaging in some of the various activities throughout the museum, school groups participating in education programmes, adults learning about the history of Te Matau-a-Māui/Hawke’s Bay or immersing in the beauty and wonder of artworks on display – there truly is something for everyone.
Throughout September, Project Prima Volta is providing free 30-minute lunchtime concerts on Thursdays at 12.15pm in the MTG Century Theatre – a great way to be inspired and at the same time support emerging singers. With Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori/Māori Language Week starting on September 16 there’s an opportunity to dig a little deeper or, if you’re a fluent speaker, to help someone who is starting on their journey.