Just before Christmas, the first stage installation work for a key new exhibit was completed in the museum. The Raglan & District Museum Society has been working on its Te Horea exhibit of the Bird Family Collection of artefacts since 2012 when the taonga were moved into the museum. Since then experts have catalogued the artefacts.
From Thursday 18th to Saturday 19th Dean Cato from Design Strategies along with staff from Anderson Design worked on the first stage installation for Raglan Museum’s Te Horea/ Bird Family Collection exhibit. The cabinets for the exhibition are now all installed along with a dividing wall and the entrance sign unit. Kaumatua Russell Riki blessed the cabinets before they were brought into the museum.
The Bird family farmed on Te Akau’s coastal land – home of Ngaati Taahinga – from the early 20th century. Keith Bird collected, archived and cared for the taonga found on the land, displaying the artefacts in cabinets in a small museum. The Bird family has given that collection to the Raglan & Districts Museum as a longtime indefinite loan.
Work on the exhibit will continue in 2015 with interpretation panels and final selection of the artefacts for display. The Museum Society says that the exhibition will open in the first half of 2015.