Paihia woman’s huge Kiwiana collection morphs into public ‘Legacy Lounge’

Legacy Lounge creator Jane Johnston with a book of historic New Zealand prints and a small part of her collection currently on display in Paihia. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Decades of compulsive Kiwiana collecting have culminated in a new attraction in Paihia which is part library, part museum, and part discovery centre and community activities space.

Haruru resident Jane Johnston held a soft opening of The Legacy Lounge during Easter ahead of Paihia’s 200th anniversary celebrations and the Williams family reunion this weekend.

She describes the lounge as a “passion project” housing probably the biggest private collection of New Zealand natural and cultural history books in the North Island.

For the first few weeks, to coincide with the upcoming festivities, the collection will occupy two first-floor premises at 76 Marsden Rd in the centre of the tourist town.

It’s next to Terra Restaurant and accessed by stairs from Marsden Rd or by lift or steps from Paihia Lane.

It contains an estimated 50,000 books — Johnston has never counted — as well as historic photos, more than 100 mostly early 1900s paintings, vintage records, kauri gum, weaving, pottery and thousands of collectible Kiwiana and retro knick-knacks such as souvenir dolls, teatowels and teaspoons.

The book collection focuses on culture, nature, art and economic development, but also contains classic New Zealand fiction by the likes of Maurice Shadbolt, Witi Ihimaera and Janet Frame.

There’s an entry fee to browse the lounge but Johnston plans a membership scheme that would allow people to borrow books to read at their leisure.

Johnston’s vision was of a “discovery centre” where visitors could explore, open drawers to see what’s inside, and use the craft equipment provided to try embroidery, drawing or carving.

She also had a collection of games and activities for all ages, making the lounge a potential rainy-day destination.

Jane Johnston arranges a Kiwiana cabinet of vintage Māori dolls. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Johnston said she’d been collecting books and Kiwiana for more than 20 years but ramped it up in the past year as her vision took shape.

Most items come from auctions, estate sales, Trade Me and calling into op shops during her travels around the country.

After the initial few weeks she would consolidate the collection in what used to be the Bay of Islands Community Centre at the rear of the building.

The centre closed after the constant fundraising needed to keep it open got too hard, especially during Covid.

However, some of the groups that met in the community centre would continue to use the space.

Classic New Zealand vinyl records form part of the Legacy Lounge collection. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Johnston, a former teacher and strategic planner, said she would also promote the lounge to schools now that New Zealand history was being taught.

She was also planning game nights and movie nights — with all New Zealand films, of course.

Johnston said she didn’t want her collection locked away in a private space.

“I want other people to be able to access it and learn about New Zealand’s cultural and natural history. If you live in Wellington, you can just pop down to the Alexander Turnbull Library, but you can’t do that here,” she said.

“It’s about sharing information but also about offering something else to do here. It’s a place to relax, chill, read and listen, while surrounded by beautiful things.”

■ The lounge’s opening hours have yet to be finalised. Johnston plans to open the lounge during the day on Saturdays and Sundays but eventually hopes to open on Friday and Saturday nights as well. Contact her on agentjane99@gmail.com for membership information or if you can lend a hand sorting out a mountain of books.

Jane Johnston’s collection includes an estimated 50,000 books, mostly about New Zealand natural and cultural history. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The collection also includes historic Northland photos. Photo / Peter de Graaf