In 2015 Tāmaki Makaurau marks the 175th anniversary of it becoming the city that is Auckland, to celebrate the occasion Auckland War Memorial Museum are proud to announce a new home-grown exhibition, Taku Tāmaki – Auckland Stories.
Opening in late May, the free exhibition will share the stories that have shaped the city and its people, inviting families to participate, contribute and share.
Taku Tāmaki – Auckland Stories will bring the city’s stories to life through the Museum’s collections, cutting-edge digital experiences, an immersive film featuring Auckland school children, a specially commissioned artwork from artist Peter Madden and a photographic display by Jane Ussher that celebrates heroes of Auckland as selected by our youth.
Featuring a selection of interactive activities showcasing Auckland and Aucklanders, the exhibition will take visitors on a journey through the city’s history and into the future, spanning all the way from Pukekohe out to Great Barrier Island.
Exhibition curator Finn McCahon commented: “Tāmaki Makaurau, one of the Māori names for Auckland, sums up the city best – a place that is loved and desired by many. I hope this sentiment comes through in the displays, and makes familiar aspects of the city feel new, inspiring visitors to explore Tāmaki with fresh eyes.”
The exhibition will also give visitors an opportunity to tell the museum what Auckland means to them and what they would want to see in their Museum in the future. These responses will contribute to the shape of the exhibition and ultimately inform future permanent exhibitions there.
Alongside the exhibition, the Auckland Museum offers a quarterly programme called Tales of Tamaki – Stories over Auckland, which includes music and dance performances, storytelling sessions, and arts and crafts activities.
Occurring every school holiday in 2015, Tales of Tamaki – Stories over Auckland gives visitors a chance to see performances from local groups, get hands-on with a variety of activities, and enjoy rarely seen panoramic views of the city from the museum’s upstairs event centre.
