It has been 40 years since the Whangārei Museum opened its doors on Heritage Park.
It has been 40 years since the Whangārei Museum opened its doors on Heritage Park.
Whangārei Museum is changing spaces and experiences as we collectively change our views on the role of museums around the world. Some parts of history are challenging, confronting and with limited resources we are working towards resolutions and therefore experiences that our city can be proud of.
As we moveinto 2025, we celebrate the final few months of what has been a milestone year – 40 years since the Whangārei Museum opened its doors on Heritage Park.
The museum space has had a major refresh during winter and its clean, clear space is ready for some exciting projects to be unleashed.
But the 40th birthday wouldn’t be complete without a very special exhibition.
What makes this one unlike any other is the human factor. 40:40 celebrates the collection with 40 pieces from donations across the past 40 years and is selected by 40 different people from our community.
This assortment will represent a cross-section of time, place and people.
The concept has spiralled. What began as a focus on the collection, the treasures and their stories has now evolved to consider our links to those objects.
Each piece from the 100,000 artefacts lived a life before it was donated, tied to various people through culture or essential or industry. And each industry was developed to meet a need and through innovation at many levels – since the beginning of time. Now we build new connections.
The 40 selectors are locals from all walks of life from a librarian to a farmer, to a 2-year-old – with a full life of who-knows-what ahead.
Each person was given the same task – to draw a year out of a bowl (1984-2024), and on a screen browse the entire year of donated objects to choose from.
The task was to draw a year out of a bowl (1984-2024), and on a screen browse the entire year of donated objects to choose from
This process has been more interesting than we ever could have anticipated. Each person has been so unique in what they are drawn to, some taking a few moments to choose and others wanting to discuss each option and weigh up what each means. Many have been choosing paper objects and we can only assume this is because they present on face value the complete story – a book, a poster, a map.
Whereas a bone, or an unusual tool have much more mystery to navigate.
Throughout the selection process, many have appreciated the richness of the collection and the need to continue to care for it.
The Whangārei Museum is yet to be digitised, so each object has a card in the archives which links to their storage location and their provenance.
The exhibition will reveal as much of their histories as we hold. As part of the experience, visitors will be welcome to reflect on their own personal treasures, where these items are kept and whether their loved ones are aware of the significance of these objects.
While the 40 objects may not have direct connections to each other, their diversity highlights the rich tapestry of lives and stories that have shaped our community over the decades. The 40:40 exhibition will open on Heritage Park Live Day on Sunday, November 17. This day is a free family day with thanks to the support of Whangārei District Council.
