The museums in NZ are one of a kind boasting some of the widest collections in the world.
My favorite is the waterfront edifice in Wellington, one of the largest national museums in the world. This magical place melts arts and artifacts together with technological brilliance, creating absorbing displays and interactive games for all ages! Art collections, whale skeletons, working Maori marae and virual reality diversions all find their pride of place in the Museum of NZ-Te Papa Tongarewa.
After a significant internal revamp, the Auckland museum is everything you'd want in a city's storehouse of treasures: fun, interactive, attractive, informative, and filled with interesting collections. Its Maori and Polynesian section, the biggest in the world, sends shivers down your spine; forget your kids, set yourself loose in the Discovery Centre, where you can poke and pry into everything without compunction.
At the pinnacle of New Zealand's boating history, the NZ National Maritime Museum is booming. Look for KZ1 outside, and inside discover 1,000 years of the country's maritime history. You get to see sail makers, boat builders, and wood-turners at work and can even take a cruise on one of the vessels!
I saw a picture of the Rotorua Museum and just knew that I must visit it. Winner of the best Heritage Attraction for three years running, it is a great place to start your sightseeing in Rotorua. An architectural icon in itself, the building is one of the most photographed in NZ with a fascinating ans bizarre past. Take a look at the Bath House and you might even want to indulge in a curative treatment right here in Rotorua.
The Canterbury Museum and the International Antarctic Centre are two completely separate entities located miles apart, but together they present a terrific overview of life and history in Antarctica. Nowhere else in the world will you find this much gathered information about the great icy continent. There's everything from wildlife displays to human exploration accounts and a real ice chamber so you can get the feel of life in subzero temperatures.
Whangarei Art Museum permanently houses the city art collection containing both heritage and contemporary art work. A sizeable collection by early NZ modernist painter, Adele Younghusband is also part of the display.
The Cartoon Gallery is an online gallery for world class NZ cartoonists.
The Art Market in Waihi has been developed as a place from where artists can sell their work and now boasts more than 150 artists selling 1000's of individualistic pieces ranging from fantastic garden features to hand crafted jewelry. A range of art from NZ contemporary to Maori and Pacifica Art can be found.
The Kiosk is a 24/7 venue for contemporary art exhibitions by audio, screen and installation artists.
If you're looking for fun in NZ, it's not far away. The Auckland Dance and Open Air Film Festival are just the beginning. The Coromandel Pohutukawa Festival is a celebration of summer and includes a regatta, Warbirds over Thames and a Junk to Funk Wearable Art Competition.
You can view a provocative collection of films sourced from around the world at the Beck's Incredible Film Fest in Auckland and Wellington.
The Christchurch Arts Festival will dazzle you with jazz, opera, theater and cabaret performances.
A summer festival held at the magnificent Hamilton Gardens in February include theater, music, pantomime, Shakespeare, Major concerts and more.
Similarly, the Southern Lakes Festival of Color, held in the last week of April has an brilliant program showcasing respected names in art, music, dance and theater.
The Wellington Busking Festival is quite an extravaganza in February with amazing street performers and the Cuba and Manners Malls filled with acts from NZ and beyond to amuse and thrill you.
The country may be small, but it's not short of either art or culture. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Delve in and discover the hidden depths.
Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com
Leave a comment