Blacks Point Museum facts for kids
Blacks Point museum, showing the mural by Alun Bollinger
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| Former name | Methodist Church, Reefton |
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| Location | Blacks Point, near Reefton, South Island, New Zealand |
Blacks Point Museum is a cool museum located in Blacks Point. This small town is near Reefton on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It's a great place to learn about life in a gold mining town long ago!
Contents
Discover the Museum Building
The museum building has a long history. It started as a Methodist church in 1876. The church was built using timber that was cut by hand with special saws. It was a place for everyone to worship, not just one specific group.
How the Church Became a Museum
When it was first built, the church stood proudly overlooking the town. But in 1912, it was moved back and turned around on its land. As fewer people lived in Blacks Point, the church closed in 1960.
The community then bought the building to create a museum. The Blacks Point Museum officially opened its doors on October 1, 1966. Over the years, the building has grown. An extension was added in 1976. In the 1980s, a working machine called the Golden Fleece stamper was put inside. Later, in 2008, a special room for old records and research was built. A new display building was added in 2009, and the museum got a new roof in 2013.
Art on the Outside
You'll see a colorful painting, called a mural, on the outside of the museum. This mural was created by Alun Bollinger, who is a famous filmmaker and lives nearby.
Explore the Museum's Collection
The museum is packed with amazing items that tell the story of life in a New Zealand mining town. You can see old school records and information about families who lived there. There are also lots of historical photos and old town directories.
Gold Mining Tools and Machines
A big part of the collection is about gold mining. You can see many tools and pieces of equipment that miners used.
Right next to the museum is the Golden Fleece Battery. This machine is still working! Miners used it to crush quartz rocks to get the gold out. This water-powered stamper battery was built and used in the 1870s. It's a fantastic example of the technology from that time.
