Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery celebrates its reopening today (Thursday 12 December) with a jam-packed season ahead of amazing exhibitions and programmes.
After a six-month closure for extensive renovations, the Museum is ready to welcome visitors to their opening weekend’s ‘housewarming’ celebration to experience the improvements, as well as four new exhibitions alongside established favourites including Exscite.
Highlights include the traditional and contemporary handcrafted weaving works in He Aa I Uta, He Aa I Tai: Weaving the Elements; the artistic development of our region in Timeline: Waikato Art 1850 to 2000; details from the Museum's own history in Exhibition no. 831; and the prestigious international Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition, produced by Royal Museums Greenwich in London, showcasing award-winning images of the universe.
Museum and Arts Director, Liz Cotton, expressed her delight at the transformation.
"The renovations have transformed the Museum into a space that truly embodies its original vision from 1987, serving as a home for the region’s taonga and creating a dynamic connection between the Waikato River and the central city," said Cotton.
“The team also took the opportunity to remove some internal walls, allowing visitors to enjoy views of the awa and Te Winika from almost every gallery. The new flooring brightens the entire space, making it feel more inviting, as well as being safer.”
The primary focus of the renovation was to bring the building up to modern museum standards, including crucial roof repairs and the installation of a new air lock entry for enhanced climate control.
“Climate control is so important as our taonga, objects and artworks need to be at specific temperature and humidity to protect them,” explained Cotton.
“Our new entry, together with a crucial new environmental control system, allows the indoor climate to be more consistent which opens up opportunities to host work we previously haven’t been able to.
“We are now more efficient in the way we heat and cool the building which is more environmentally friendly and will save costs in the long run.”
In keeping with its tradition of showcasing history, the Museum has incorporated parts of the old slate floor into features throughout the building. The upgraded forecourt now offers safer access and versatile spaces for visitors and people who live or work in the area.
“Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery is more than just a building; it's a vibrant part of our community's cultural fabric. We look forward to welcoming you back and making new memories with you,” said Cotton.
Please note
For te reo Maaori, Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery uses double vowels (uu) in place of vowels with a macron (ū) to represent a long vowel sound. This spelling approach is the preference of tangata whenua in Hamilton Kirikiriroa and Waikato iwi for te reo Maaori words. Artists’ titles are shown in their original form.
Exhibition dates
- Astronomy Photographer of the Year
12 December 2024 to 27 April 2025. Entry fees apply. - Timeline: Waikato Art 1850 to 2000
12 December 2024 to 13 July 2025. Free entry. - He Aa I Uta, He Aa I Tai: Weaving the Elements
12 December 2024 to 10 August 2025. Free entry. - Exhibition no. 831
12 December 2024 to 30 March 2025. Free entry.