Petone Settlers Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial |
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Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial c.1940
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| General information | |
| Type | Memorial |
| Architectural style | Art Deco Stripped Classicism |
| Location | The Esplanade, Petone, Lower Hutt, New Zealand |
| Current tenants | Petone Settlers Museum |
| Completed | 1939 |
| Owner | Hutt City Council |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Horace L. Massey |
| Awards and prizes | NZIA Gold Medal 1940 |
| Designated: | 6 September 1984 |
| Reference #: | 206 |
The Petone Settlers Museum is a cool place to learn about local history. It's located in a special old building called the Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial. This building is in Petone, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
The building was first built to celebrate 100 years since British settlers arrived in the Wellington Region. The museum itself opened in the building in 1977. In 2016, the building got a big makeover to make it look new again. This historic building is so important that Heritage New Zealand has given it a special Category 1 historic building rating.
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Where is the Museum Located?
The Wellington Centennial Provincial Memorial building sits right on the Petone foreshore. Petone was originally called 'Pito-one', which means 'end of the sandy beach'. This spot is important because it's where local Māori welcomed the first ship carrying British settlers. That ship arrived in Wellington on January 22, 1840.
Even though the building isn't in the exact spot, it's very close to where this historic meeting happened. Local Te Ati Awa chiefs, like Te Puni and Te Wharepōuri, sold land around the Wellington harbour. This land was for the New Zealand Company to create new settlements. The first settlement was actually built near Te Puni's village in Petone.
The Building's Design and History
In the mid-1930s, New Zealand's Labour government started planning big celebrations. These were to mark 100 years since the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. The main event was the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in Rongotai, Wellington. But money was also set aside for smaller memorials in different areas. One of these was the Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial in Petone.
A national competition was held to find the best design for the building. A famous architect named William Gray Young judged the entries. The winner was Horace Lovell Massey from Auckland. He even won a special award, the NZIA Gold Medal, for his design. One historian, Gavin McLean, called the building "Wellington's provincial memorial" but also "the New Zealand monument to pioneer endeavour." It's a lasting tribute to the early settlers.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The memorial building mixes two cool architectural styles: Stripped Classicism and Art Deco. It has a main "Hall of Memories" in the middle. On each side, there were originally two rooms. These rooms were designed as changing rooms for men and women. That's because the building was also used as a bathing pavilion for swimmers!
The building has some amazing features. There's a huge glass window with sand-blasted designs. There's also a stone copy of the front part (the prow) of the ship Aurora. This ship was the first one to bring New Zealand Company settlers to Wellington. The stone prow faces the street at the bottom of the window.
On December 18, 1938, a man named Ivor Te Puni wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. He was a descendant of Chief Te Puni. He asked for the Māori people to be remembered too. Because of his letter, the stained-glass window shows Chief Te Puni. He is reaching out his hand to welcome the new settlers, who are shown as a man in a suit and a woman holding a child.
The memorial was officially opened on January 22, 1940. The Prime Minister, Peter Fraser, and the Governor-General, Lord Galway, led the ceremony.
The Petone Settlers Museum Today
Over time, swimming at Petone beach became less popular. This was because of waste from a large meat factory nearby, called the Gear Meat Factory. So, the bathing pavilions weren't used much and started to fall apart.
In 1977, the western bathing pavilion was turned into the Petone Settlers Museum. Two years later, the museum grew and took over the eastern bathing pavilion too.
Today, the museum is a treasure chest of information and objects. It tells the story of Māori and Pakeha settlement in the area. It also shares the social, cultural, sports, and industrial history of Petone.
Recent Renovations
In 2016, the museum had a big renovation. Both the outside and inside were updated. This $250,000 project aimed to bring back the building's original look and feel. Things like decorative concrete grills were put back. The building was also painted its original color.
The old beach-front opening at the back of the building was given new glass. Colored paint on the ship prow and other sculptures outside was removed. They were returned to their original cream color.
During the work, contractors found the original tiled foot baths. Swimmers used to walk through these to get to the changing rooms. The museum reopened on May 29, 2016. There was a fun family open day to celebrate the new look. Another $75,000 was spent to refresh the exhibition areas inside.
Images for kids
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The Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial Building's etched window and sculpture of the prow of the Aurora, c.1940
