Whanganui museum welcomed an esteemed visitor last week - Professor Hans-Martin Hinz, president of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
Professor Hinz was the keynote speaker at a Pacific Connections conference at the Auckland War Memorial Museum last week and fitted in a few museum visits on his first, brief visit to New Zealand.
"I visited the maritime museum at Devonport, the Auckland Art Gallery and the little museum at Puhoi, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. The area was settled by people who came from Bohemia and I found it fascinating to see the exhibits there."
Appointed as president of ICOM in 2010, Professor Hinz is a former deputy minister of culture in Berlin and has chaired several research and cultural foundations and councils in Germany and internationally.
This month he received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Verdienstkreuz am Bande des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland), the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany can present to individuals for distinguished service to society and the nation.