Whats New

Happy Birthdays!!

Five current and former Museum staff members recently celebrated a combination of 325 years with all five having their 65th Birthday with in the last 12 months. Pictured celebrating their birthdays in style at a luncheon picnic in Isel Park, Stoke are (from left): Lynda Pike, Alison Johnston, Anne McEwan, Dawn Smith and Imogen McCarthy.

Life Associate appointed at AGM

Dr Mike Johnston was declared a Life Associate of The Nelson Provincial Museum at the Annual General Meeting held on 30th October 2009. This is in recognition of 30 years of service on the governing bodies of the museum, most recently as part of the Tasman Bays Heritage Trust Board. Trust Board Chairman Sara Chapman observed that this is a record of service of exceptional quality and one that is most unlikely to ever be bettered in terms of longevity. Board Members and staff have a great deal to thank Mike for, and we feel sure that he will continue to take a very active interest in our activities. As a Life Associate he will always be invited to functions and events and we look forward to sharing many of those with him and the other Life Associates Robin Whalley and Pat O'Shea.

Hunting Butterflies

Last week St Joseph's school children took butterfly research very seriously when they hunted for butterflies in the rain. These butterflies are life size coloured replicas that hide among the plants on the roof garden. Dr Roger Frost, whose work inspired 'Returning Butterflies', walks transect lines throughout our region recording the eggs, caterpillars, pupae and adult New Zealand Butterflies that he sees. Everyday our students walk a model transect and try to find the butterflies that we have hidden.

Season Ticket

Family Membership allows free entry to all exhibitions and events. However in response to a number of requests we have also set up a special scheme for families without membership that will apply to Sounds Amazing only. Buy a Sounds Amazing Season Ticket for $25 and your family can come and go to this exhibition as often as you like from 23 October 2009 to 7 February 2010.

Events

The Fonterra Science Roadshow

The Science Roadshow is New Zealand's premiere national science and technology education programme for schools and is in its 21st year of operation. Its principal sponsor is Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd.

The Fonterra Science Roadshow believes that more than ever it is important to inspire children with hands-on, practical learning and wherever possible to engage and involve their parents/care-givers and the wider public in this learning.

The Fonterra Science Roadshow is in Nelson from November 30 to December 2 2009 and includes two special science shows - one based on Sound; so a great add-on for our Sounds Amazing exhibition.

On Tuesday 1 December 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Waimea Intermediate School supporters of the Nelson Provincial Museum have been offered a special opportunity to experience this hands-on science for themselves.

This show is FREE but there is only room for 150 people (pre-schoolers will not be counted in the total). To secure your place email ceo@museumnp.org.nz and we will put you on the list. We will keep a waiting list and one week before the show we will ask those on the list to confirm their places. I hope this sounds fair. While most of the exhibits are designed for school aged children, there are plenty of experiences that will challenge and extend the knowledge of adults too!

Sounds Amazing - Musical Activities

The following table contains confirmed musical activities for events associated with Sounds Amazing

If you would like a brief weekly update on times and places for these activities and the many new ones that will be added please email ceo@museumnp.org.nz with the word UPDATE in subject or body text.

Exhibitions

Sounds Amazing

23 October 2009 to 7 February 2010

Sounds Amazing is a hands-on exploration of sound and music.
This exhibition comes from the same people that created the widely acclaimed Body in Action that delighted nearly 30,000 people. A feature of this exhibition will be the programme of live music we are putting together each weekend of the exhibition. By popular demand families will be able to buy a season ticket and come back as often as they like. The exhibition opens during the Arts Festival and closes on Waitangi weekend. We have some special treats in mind so 'stay tuned' to our email newsletters and to our media partners for this exhibition - Classic Hits FM and Newstalk ZB 1341AM.

Returning Butterflies

25 September 2009 - 13 December 2009

Returning in the spring, there are at least 15 species of native butterflies to be found in our gardens, parks, and wild places. Like much of our wildlife their numbers have, by all accounts, dwindled - so much so that many people are unaware of the diversity or even existence of native species.

Returning butterflies to their former numbers is one focus of the exhibition, through the simple, practical steps that gardeners and landowners can take. The exhibition also explores: our butterfly biodiversity; how to recognise them; where they are to be found in the Nelson region; features of their biology; and recent threats to their survival.

Return visits are made by a handful of migrant species that cross the Tasman most years and regularly appear in the Nelson region - an added bonus for butterfly watchers! We show you what to look out for.

On view will be live specimens of some native species in various life stages.

School Education Programme

Butterflies - Return
25 September 2009 - 13 December 2009

This exhibition is a collaborative project with a Royal Society Fellowship recipient, Roger Frost. Roger, a teacher at Murchison Area School, has been researching local native butterflies and how to sustain populations in the community. An outcome of Roger's research is this exhibition which will be on display in the classroom from 25 September. The exhibition will include live specimens at various stages of their life cycle.

This will be fantastic !

Sounds Amazing
23 October 2009 - 7 February 2010

Sounds Amazing is a hands-on exploration of sound and music. It is certainly worth a visit! This exhibition comes from the same people that created the widely acclaimed Body in Action that delighted nearly 30,000 people. By popular demand families will be able to buy a season ticket and come back as often as they like. The exhibition opens during the Arts Festival and closes on Waitangi weekend. A feature of this exhibition will be a programme of live music which we are coordinating for each weekend in November and December. The performances will be at 11.am on Saturday and 3.00pm on Sunday. Keep your eyes out for posters around the town, check in at the museum and listen to our media partners Classic Hits FM for the announcements about who the artists will be for each day. There may also be some mid-week concerts as well.

Education Resources Online

The Nelson Provincial Museum's Education Services team have a number of online resources available to the region's schools and educators. more

In line with the privacy legislation Tasman Bays Heritage Trust only sends emails to people who have indicated an interest in the Museum and its activities. You can have your name removed from our newsletter at any time by clicking on this link unsubscribe