Rachel Bowen's If I'd Known: Selections for April in Palmerston North

Landscape artist Jack Register is captured on the wall of Moxies on Main St.

Thanks for having me back. Last month, I started writing this monthly piece to share my inside knowledge with you and encourage us all to try something new.

I was recently in Christchurch for the weekend and was reminded of how I love a free gallery or exhibition as a way to experience a place. So this month I'm sharing with you some of our local offerings that you could share with a visitor, or just be a tourist here for a day.

Again, I'll give you some reference points to figure out if that's something you might like to take a look at.

I'm looking forward to the Jack Register exhibition at Square Edge from April 7. Jack died in 2018 but his memory lives on. He's captured on the wall of Moxies on Main St and that's how I remember him. He spent more than 40 years painting – mostly out in the open air - with most of his work based on local landscapes but the odd streetscape of Palmy crept in too.

If you're not familiar with the Square Edge building, take this opportunity to explore. It's a real gem and the staff in the shop will be happy to tell you what else is coming up.

Another local gem is Te Manawa Art Gallery, which has two significant exhibitions opening in April.

Suffrage in Stitches opens on Saturday and is a 300m-long textile work honouring the women and men who signed the 1893 suffrage petition. I first learned about the women's suffrage movement from the song in Mary Poppins: "Our daughters' daughters will adore us, and they'll sign in grateful chorus, "Well done! Well done! Well done Sister Suffragette!"
(Sister Suffragette, Mary Poppins, Disney, 1964.)

As my sister and I marched around the house to the song, my mother explained what it had to do with the current rights of women and I was hooked. So take your daughter's daughters and sign them up to the cause. Singing optional.

Then, on April 17 the Natural History Museum's World Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition opens - coming all the way from London. If you're a National Geographic subscriber, photographer or animal enthusiast you'll love this.

After a day of galleries and exhibitions you need a show in the evening, and this month you can have your own Christchurch experience here in Palmy, as Roger Hall's Winding Up starring Mark Hadlow and Darian Takle has just transferred from the Court to Centrepoint.

On Saturday I attended the opening night, which was like being a fly on the wall of my parents' living room. Judging by the appreciative laughter and comments from the audience I wasn't the only one who found a close point of reference. It's a real treat to see these actors, who are national treasures, work the intimate stage of Centrepoint and you have until April 24 to see it.

Christchurch was great, but I'm always glad to be home. And why wouldn't I be, with so much going on? Check back next month to see what I've found for us to do or let me know if there's something you want to know about.

• Rachel Bowen chairs Palmerston North City Council's Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee. The views expressed here are her own.