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President’s Column: February 2018

President’s Column: February 2018

Kia ora

This month the Friends have offered several behind-the-scenes experiences and two excellent lectures — overseas speaker Helen Rufus-Ward’s wonderfully entertaining talk on the glorious art of Byzantium and Dame Claudia Orange’s 2017 J.C. Beaglehole Lecture, Memory of a Nation, her marvellous personal story. Dame Claudia’s research and writing has been significant in fostering a better understanding of our history as Nation and the Treaty of Waitangi.

Te Papa’s ‘behind-the-scenes’ tours are available for all, something that your visitors might enjoy. You can read about our tours here and you will find more information on how to book the Te Papa Behind-the-Scenes experiences here.

February also marked the milestone of Te Papa’s 20th birthday with a day of celebrations and the launch of a Te Papa Press publication by Conal McCarthy, Te Papa: reinventing New Zealand’s national museum 1998 – 2018. In the foreword Simon Knell, Professor of Museum Studies, University of Leicester says, “I cannot think of another national museum, built in the last forty years, that has been more globally influential in changing how these institutions (national museums) represent the nation and, more generally the indigenous peoples of the world”.

Nicola Legat, publisher for Te Papa Press, presented a most interesting lecture last year on her career in New Zealand publishing. The Friends are delighted that Nicola was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year’s Honours List, for services to the publishing industry.

This time last year we enjoyed a collaboration with the Friends of the Futuna Trust arranging a repeat of their outstanding 2017 lecture by Sarah Kenderdine. You will find information on Peter Clegg RIBA and this year’s Futuna Trust 2018 lecture here as well as details on their popular concert series, and other activities centred on the Futuna Chapel in Karori.

Your committee has been busy planning a programme of exciting events for 2018, ranging from our very popular local gallery tours, some special new in-house events and not one but two away tours later in the year. Details will be announced soon, so keep watch on our e-news and website to make sure you don’t miss out.

Te pai katoa mo te Tau Hou,

Nga mihi nui

Elizabeth Kay