MOTAT and Dodd-Walls in colourful collaboration

Pictured left to right: Professor Frédérique Vanholsbeeck, Te Whai Ao – Dodd-Walls Director; Hanna Scott, Head of Public Programmes; Esther Tobin, Senior Exhibition Developer (science and technology centre) MOTAT; Julie Baker, Head of Education, MOTAT; and Jessa Barder, Deputy Director Education/Outreach, Dodd-Walls Centre.

MOTAT and Dodd-Walls in colourful collaboration

MOTAT and the Te Whai Ao ̶ Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies are proud to announce a significant enhancement to their long-running partnership, with Dodd-Walls investing in the Museum’s new science and technology centre opening in April 2024.

The Dodd-Walls Centre will sponsor the centre’s Light and Colour gallery – set to be an exhibition drawcard. They will also become a mainstay of Innovation Hall activity and programming, where young people and their whānau will get hands on with science and technology.

Light and Colour will be a dynamic and highly interactive gallery and is the first area of the main exhibition visitors will encounter. They will be greeted by a spectacular upright rainbow, referencing one of the tohu (signs) Kupe experienced on his journey to Aotearoa, letting him know he was on the right path.

This gallery will explore many aspects of light and colour including the electromagnetic spectrum, light waves, as well as reflection and refraction, making it a natural fit for Dodd-Walls to support. The centre for photonic and quantum technologies has already lent its expertise to content development for interactive activities, touch screens and video showing scientists at work.

The sponsorship builds on the ongoing relationship between MOTAT and The Dodd-Walls Centre adding to their many years of support of MOTAT’s education programme and collaboration on programming for New Zealand Tech Week and International Day of Light.

MOTAT’s Director, Museum Experience Sally Manuireva says: “We are thrilled Dodd-Walls has agreed to expand on our already successful partnership. Their expertise and support are invaluable as we continue to develop our new centre, designed to immerse our young visitors, students and families in the world of science and technology that exists all around us.

“We look forward to working with their team to develop content and programming that is unique to Aotearoa and meets the needs of our visitors, keeping them engaged and learning without even realising it as they are having so much fun.”

“Extending our partnership with MOTAT to develop a new science and technology centre is a major milestone for quantum technologies and photonics in Aotearoa,” says Te Whai Ao – Dodd-Walls Director, Professor Frédérique Vanholsbeeck.

“We are seeing an uptick of interest into this area of science; we hope this educational exhibit will help feed some of this curiosity and inspire more people to pursue a career in our field.”

“It’s always a pleasure working alongside MOTAT. We are excited to see what this partnership holds in the future.”

For further enquiries or comment, please contact:

Nicole Parish, MOTAT Communications Manager, Nicole.parish@motat.org.nz 021 273 3563

Mason Tangatatai, Mana Communications for Dodd-Walls, mt@manacommunications.com 027 344 5913