Have you ever printed your own 3D image, or created a virtual reality space of multi-coloured stars and bubbles? Under the expert guidance of Miri Young and the team of Hinātore, Te Papa’s magical new Learning Lab, a group of Friends recently explored the amazing mysteries of digital modelling and 3D painting. We did our best to create a 3D model of Friends Manager, Elizabeth Ridder (a clone would be really useful), and created videos using Te Papa’s collections, putting ourselves into colonial history within a 1840 painting of Wellington, and posing as dancers in a Degas painting.

We were all fascinated by Hinātore’s huge light table screen, tracking the patterns of wave and wind currents around the Pacific Ocean, and exploring Sub-Saharan Africa and tracing the route of the Nile.

Hinātore is proving hugely popular with children of all ages, though at present it is particularly aimed at school groups of primary age children. Their July school holiday programme has just been launched, so be in quick to book your children or grandchildren into a session or two.

Our thanks to Donald, Ewan and Jessie for a fascinating and imagination stretching afternoon.

Feature image: Kathleen, Ewan and Diana (behind) exploring the mysteries of the green screen and we looked in the 1840’s.