Taumarunui's history to be told in new museum

Work has started on a new museum for Taumarunui.

The Taumarunui Railway Station Museum Building Committee has recently held its first management meeting since the Ruapehu District Council completed successful lease negotiations with KiwiRail to discuss what needs to be done to get the museum open.

Council's chief executive and committee chairman, Clive Manley, said that it was very exciting to be finally starting the process of planning the setup of the museum space.

Mr Manley said the committee had agreed on a theme for the museum, based around Taumarunui's journey through history.

"This will see displays that capture and reflects the township's past from early Maori history, to the river, to rail, to milling, to farming through to tourism and today," he said.

"We are asking anyone who has items of historical significance that help tell the story of Taumarunui or the district that they would be happy to display in the museum, to contact the council."

"The committee needs a good idea of the number and size of display items before work can start work on planning the displays and the layout of the building."

Mr Manley said the council planned to bring in a professional museum curator to help with the display design and management.

"Although the museum committee members are all excited about getting things under way, there is a lot that needs to be done before displays can be set up and the museum opened to the public."

The Taumarunui Railway Station Museum Building Committee's next meeting is scheduled for October 30.