School holiday activities at Whanganui Regional Museum

Sietske Jansma will lead a portrait-making workshop at the Whanganui Regional Museum, a workshop linked to the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award exhibition. Photo / Karen Hughes

Whanganui Regional Museum is offering free activity sessions for children during the school holiday.

Starting on Thursday, April 13, the art and craft workshops will include weaving, basic embroidery and portrait making.

Education team leader Margaret Beautrais says the programme is specifically linked to exhibitions in the museum. “In the weaving workshops, children can learn to weave using a simple card loom to make a mini tartan mat. This activity is suitable for school-aged children. It’s inspired by the garments from Whanganui Woollen Mills that are on display in the exhibition Whanganui Mūmū – Whanganui By Design.”

The museum is pleased to have the assistance of Sarjeant Gallery education officer Sietske Jansma to lead a special portrait-making workshop. This session links to the exhibition Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how children will respond to the wonderful and varied portraits in this exhibition. There is a fabulous variety of mediums and styles to view, and to inspire them to create their own beautiful work, using charcoal,” says Sietske,

In the embroidery workshop, children aged 8-14 will have the opportunity to learn basic embroidery skills, inspired by garments in the exhibitions Dressed to Thrill, Whanganui Mūmū — Whanganui By Design and other museum displays. Local embroiderers will be volunteering alongside Margaret Beautrais to guide and assist the young learners.

School holiday activities at the museum are free. For most sessions, bookings are essential, but the embroidery workshops allow for walk-ins. Koha is always appreciated. All children must be accompanied by an adult. The full schedule of activities and booking information can be found on the museum website wrm.org.nz and on the Facebook page.