Sixty years of MOTAT exhibition
E ono tekau tau o MOTAT Sixty years of MOTAT
A new exhibition celebrating key milestones in MOTAT’s history is now open in the Walsh Memorial Library, as part of the museum’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
The celebrations are a chance to thank and acknowledge everyone who has played a part in the development of MOTAT and many of those contributions will feature in E ono tekau tau o MOTAT Sixty years of MOTAT.
The exhibition draws on MOTAT’s rich collection of historical and contemporary images and objects to highlight these significant moments in MOTAT’s growth to become the largest transport and technology museum in Aotearoa New Zealand.
MOTAT CE/Museum Director Craig Hickman-Goodall says: “The exhibition really brings home what a remarkable history MOTAT has and the amazing people who have contributed to it being a museum that uses past and present technology to inspire future generations. It’s also a reminder of the unique challenges of collecting and conserving large objects and the incredible feats it took to get them here!”
Objects such as signed Jean Batten prints and visitor books as well as digital content from online collections, archival footage, and oral history accounts will be on display.
The exhibition highlights MOTAT’s aviation, tramway and railway collections, along with the historic Pumphouse and MOTAT’s place in Te Wai Ōrea Western Springs.
The arrival of some of MOTAT’s most treasured heritage objects including the Wellington trams, the Lancaster Bomber and the Short Solent and Sunderland (MOTAT’s large flying boats), back in the 60s, are featured.
MOTAT’s beloved Western Springs Tramway development is traced from the first laying of tracks to the opening of the Meola Road tramway and the linking of MOTAT’s two locations.
Libraries and Archives Manager (Walsh Memorial Library) Simon Wetherill says, “The exhibition was an opportunity to mine our rich archival collection of imagery and other materials to tell the story of our own history at MOTAT. The diverse skills of both our Collections and Exhibitions teams have combined to create this fascinating and nostalgic look back at the past 60 years.”
MOTAT’s main celebration event will be LIVE Day: 60 years of MOTAT on Sunday, 20 October.
The Walsh Memorial Library is open 10am-4pm weekdays and on LIVE Days.
ENDS
For further information, interviews or images, please contact:
Nicole Parish, Communications Manager, Nicole.parish@motat.org.nz, 021 273 3563