Waikato Museum facts for kids
Waikato Museum, viewed from Memorial Park, Hamilton East
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| Former name | Waikato Museum of Art and History |
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| Established | 1987 |
| Location | 1 Gratham Street Hamilton Central Hamilton New Zealand |
| Architect | Ivan Mercep |
The Waikato Museum (which in Māori is Te Whare Taonga o Waikato) is a cool museum in Hamilton. It's a place where you can learn about art, history, and science. The museum also runs ArtsPost, which is a shop and art gallery for New Zealand art and design. Both places are looked after by the Hamilton City Council.
Outside the museum, you'll see a unique sculpture called The Tongue of The Dog. It was created by artist Michael Parekōwhai and has helped more people discover the museum.
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The Museum Building and Its Story
The Waikato Museum is located at 1 Grantham Street. It's in the middle of Hamilton, right by the Waikato River. The building was designed by Ivan Mercep, a famous architect from Auckland. He also designed Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum!
The museum first opened its doors in this building in 1987. Before that, people had talked for many years about needing a big museum and art gallery for the region. The museum's name was later changed to Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga O Waikato. This new name helps to honor the local Māori tribe, Tainui. The museum is built on land that belongs to Ngaati Wairere, a group within the Waikato-Tainui tribe. A very important part of the museum's history is the Kiingitanga, also known as the King Movement. The museum acts as a guardian, or kaitiaki, of taonga tuku iho – which are rare and sacred objects.
The museum building's design, both inside and out, is inspired by the nature around it. It faces the steep riverbank where it sits. This design fits with Hamilton's plan to make its riverfront even better.
ArtsPost is right next to the museum on Victoria Street. It's in an old building that used to be Hamilton's Post and Telegraph office. This building was built in 1901 and cost £2,400. The Hamilton City Council bought it in 1992. They wanted to create a special place to show off visual arts. After working with the Historic Places Trust to restore the building, ArtsPost opened on June 27, 1998.
Museum Leaders Over Time
- Ken Gorbey was the museum director from 1971 to 1983.
Cool Exhibitions and Fun Programs
Waikato Museum has many different exhibitions. Some are created by the museum itself, and others travel from other places. They also have lots of educational programs and public events. The museum focuses on four main areas: art, social history, science, and tangata whenua (Māori people and culture). The main goal is to show off the history, heritage, and culture of the Waikato region.
Some of the most popular things to see include:
- A huge 200-year-old waka taua (war canoe) called Te Winika. You can learn all about its history.
- Exscite and Milk Matters, which are hands-on science galleries perfect for kids.
- Te Whaanau Marama, an exhibition celebrating Māori astronomy and how they understood the stars.
In April 2015, the museum opened a big exhibition to remember 100 years since World War I began. It was called For Us They Fell. This exhibition shared the stories of Waikato men who fought in the war and the families they left behind.
The museum also hosts many events. These include talks by artists, workshops, and a popular school holiday program. Since 2010, they've had Bat Tours, supported by the Waikato Regional Council. On these tours, you learn about bats, then go on a walk to see where they live. You might even spot long-tailed bats, glow worms, shortfin eels, and other native animals!
Since 2006, Waikato Museum has hosted the National Contemporary Art Award (NCAA). This award started in 2000 and invites artists from all over New Zealand and even overseas to enter. Past winners include Ayesha Green (2019), Boris Dornbusch (2007), Dieneke Jansen (2013), and Kim Pieters (2017).
River Landing
In 2021, a new floating dock was opened on the Waikato River, right below the museum. This dock has five decorated pou (carved poles). Each pou tells stories from different Māori tribes: Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Tamainupō, Ngāti Wairere, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, and Ngāti Hauā. On July 19, 2021, a ferry started running from this landing. It connects the museum to other spots like Swarbrick's Landing, Braithwaite Park, and Hamilton Gardens.
