MOTAT's Te Kōtiu Shines on International Stage

MOTAT is proud to announce that our new immersive digital experience in the Aviation Hall, Te Kōtiu – stories from the sky, is shortlisted for a prestigious gong: the Museums + Heritage Best Use of Digital – International Award.

Congratulations to our Exhibitions team members, our principal partner Waxeye, and all the collaborators they worked with to create this amazing experience that has already been enjoyed by thousands of visitors since September last year.

Projected onto our two large flying boats, the floor and a special screen, Te Kōtiu brings history and our collection to life with a mix of video, animation, oral storytelling, and soundscape. It tells the story of flight and aviation in Aotearoa, from the migration of the kuaka godwit bird to the beginnings of the aerospace industry and everything in between.

It draws on the images, artefacts and footage held in our collection, and features manu aute kites by celebrated Māori artist Nikau Hindin, and the voices of trailblazing wahine toa in the aviation and aerospace industry today.

MOTAT’s Head of Exhibitions Simon Gould said: "We made Te Kōtiu for the people of Aotearoa – to bring MOTAT's world-leading collection to life and to bring a genuine sense of wonder, pride and celebration around flight in this place. We couldn't be more thrilled to share Te Kōtiu with the rest of the world, and to have it sitting proudly in the company of other great museums is a fitting tribute to the legends of flight and aviation whose stories MOTAT and our partner Waxeye tell so compellingly."

Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on May 15.

Contact MOTAT's Communications Manager, for further information, imagery or interviews. Ph: 021 273 3563, nicole.parish@motat.org.nz