Have your say on future exhibitions at Rotorua Museum for when it reopens

Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa. Photo / Fullframe Photography

Share your ideas on what you would like to see for the future of Rotorua Museum through an interactive exhibition.

Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa is hosting the interactive exhibition to find out what the community wants to see and experience when the strengthened building reopens.

As well as delving into the history of the iconic Bath House building and giving insights into the strengthening project, the exhibition will explain the process for planning an exhibition and invites visitors to share their ideas for the future of our regional museum.

The exhibition was due to open last August but was postponed as New Zealand went into lockdown.

Opening today at 12pm, 'He Kākano – The beginnings of our new Whare Taonga' will be located at Rotorua Library, Te Aka Mauri, until May 1.

Museum operations manager Joanna Doherty says, "He Kākano represents a great opportunity for our community to share their hopes for our new exhibitions."

"We would like to encourage as many people as possible to come and take part.

"He Kākano is designed for all ages. Come along and create your own exhibition, tell us your favourite Rotorua story or share an idea for how to bring our unique local history to life."

The Blueprint Brainstorm asks people to write their great ideas onto a post-it note.

Is there a particular artwork you would like to see in one of the galleries? Are you hoping there will be a science and innovation hub for tamariki? Jot it down and stick it up.

Create your own mini-exhibition using fun objects or draw a picture of what you would love to see in your dream museum.

Use the voting system to share what themes and topics you are interested in. Are you a history buff? An art lover? Do you enjoy spending time with our amazing Te Arawa taonga? Or are you most fascinated by volcanoes and geysers?

Nau mai, haere mai – every idea is welcome.

The details

'He Kākano – The beginnings of our new Whare Taonga' will be on display at Rotorua Library, Te Aka Mauri, from 25 March – 1 May 2022. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm (closed statutory holidays).

Construction of the Bath House building, home to Rotorua Museum, is likely to begin later this year with build time of about two years.

Following community exhibition engagement, it is estimated exhibition installation will take about 12 months with Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa expected to open in 2025.