FRONT PORCH GALLERY
This gallery highlights stories and visual displays created by the Museum about local community topics. We also utilise this space to highlight amazing collection taonga objects, specific anniversary celebrations, community projects, arts, and more. To find out what we currently have on show check out our Facebook or call in to the Museum at 135 Roche Street, Te Awamutu. This space is always changing with new, vibrant and meaningful displays, so it’s always good to check up on what’s happening our Front Porch!
Mawhiti Tino Rawe
Crustacean celebrities of Aotearoa New Zealand on display at Te Awamutu Museum – Education & Research Centre now!
Crabs, shrimps, lobsters, barnacles, slaters and other crustaceans are the stars of a new mini exhibition presented by, NIWA and Te Papa.
Opening on 5th April 2024, Mawhiti Tino Rawe | Clever Crustaceans is a playful exploration of the bizarre and diverse world of five marine crustaceans. They can change their shape, circle the globe, and maybe even cure cancer – crustaceans are the unsung heroes of the sea.
NIWA scientists Rachael Peart and Kareen Schnabel worked with Te Papa experts to deliver this mini exhibition that showcases the importance and special capabilities of the ‘insects of the sea’.
“Crustaceans are arthropods, which means they have segmented bodies and exoskeletons just like insects, so I love describing them as the ‘insects of the sea’. They are captivating creatures. They have adapted to live in an incredible variety of habitats, from beaches and shallows, all the way down to the deepest ocean trenches,” said Dr Schnabel.
Hands-on interactives and real specimens explore the fascinating world and smart survival tricks of these unusual creatures. Take a digital deep dive into a special web hub to discover their superpowers.
“Following on from the success of the Colossal Squid exhibition, Mawhiti Tino Rawe – Clever Crustaceans is another great mini exhibition that is visually stimulating and cleverly created,” said Henriata Nicholas, exhibitions coordinator for the Te Awamutu Museum. “Visitors of all ages will learn something remarkable from this exhibition!”
“We’re thrilled to be able to highlight these unsung heroes of our ecosystem. We want visitors to touch, explore and discover these weird and wonderful crustaceans of Aotearoa New Zealand. We were inspired by the work of scientists to understand and protect these crustaceans and their homes, and we’re so excited to partner with NIWA on this special project,” said Dan Parke, Exhibition Experience Developer, Te Papa.
“We are telling the stories of some of our favourite critters. Visitors will learn about the ‘shapeshifter’ kōura with its unexpected life stages as a long-distance open-ocean wanderer, the lightning speed with which the native mantis shrimp spears its lunch, the exceptional eyesight of the open ocean Phronima amphipod – which is even being used in techniques to detect cancer in humans – and the radical changes barnacles have undergone to get their kai (food),” adds Dr Schnabel.
Image: Goose Barnacle Lepas anatifera with cirri extended to catch planktonic food by SeacologyNZ
Image: Rock lobster phyllosoma by Alexander Semenov
Image: Cluster of Goose Barnacles Lepas anatifera with cirri extended by SeacologyNZ
Image: Mantis shrimp larva captured in the Philippines by SeacologyNZ
Rahapa Te Hauata
Rahapa Te Hauata, Ngāti Apakura, pictured here holding a patu paroa whalebone club and wearing Victorian style dress. This photograph is from an original Tin-type and would have been taken in Rangiaowhia prior to 1864 when the area was prosperous. We’re not sure of...
Squid Front Porch
SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTHS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2024! Celebrate the Colossal Squid and it's freaky features! For the month of January and February we are excited to display amazing information on the colossal squid. Did you know the colossal squid...
Amazing Kōura Exhibit
SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023 - THE AMAZING FRESHWATER KŌURA! Celebrate the amazing freshwater Kōura, your Tui & Tama Club mascot friend! For the month of December we are excited to display the amazing kōura. Did you know there are...
The Amazing Tuna
SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023 - WE LOVE TUNA! We Love Tuna with your Tui & Tama Club mascot - Tuna! For the month of November we are excited to show the amazing life of Tuna on Front Porch Gallery at the Te Awamutu Museum – Education...
Front Porch Taniwha
SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023 - MĀORI MYTHS & LEGENDS! Celebrate Māori Myths & Legends with Taniwha, your Tui & Tama Club mascot friend! For the month of October we are excited to display three local myths and legends in the...
Te Hokioi Exhibit
SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023 - TE HOKIOI E RERE ATU NA!Celebrate Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori Month with Huhu, your Tui & Tama Club mascot friend! For the month of September we are excited to display information on one of our significant...
Family History Month
SHOWING IN THE GALLERY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2023 - FAMILY HISTORY MONTHCELEBRATE FAMILY HISTORY MONTH WITH RURU, YOUR TUI & TAMA CLUB MASCOT FRIEND! For the month of August we have activities, exhibitions and crafty arty workshops supporting whakawhanaungatanga...
Matariki 2023
SHOWING IN THE GALLERY FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2023 - MATARIKIMatariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in the east midwinter and heralds in the start of Te Tau Hou, the Māori New Year! Iwi across Aotearoa understand and...
Rangiaowhia
Rangiaowhia, a small journey east of Te Awamutu, was a thriving and productive village, until 1864. From the 1830s Māori and invited European settlers worked collaboratively to develop this into one of the regions most important agricultural areas. One of the most...
New Zealand Land Wars
"E hoa! Ka whahwai tonu mātou, mō Ake, Ake Ake!" When called upon to surrender by the British Troops at Ō-rākau Pā in 1864, Rewi Maniapoto uttered those famous words translated into English - "Friend! We will fight on for ever and ever!" Ō-rākau Pā was sacked 2nd...
Te Wiki o Te Reo 2022
Nau Mai, Haere Mai ki te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu! Join us for the month of September as we take this opportunity to celebrate, promote and encourage Te Reo Māori during Māori language week. On the Front Porch Gallery we have chosen amazing and unique taonga objects...
PUNCH
PUNCH: COMING HOME Promoted at the Regent Theatre around the screening of the film Punch and featuring Te Awamutu born writer, designer and director Dr. Welby Inges' preparatory sketches for the film. "The rough sketches in pencil, ink and coffee granules were made...
Ancestry Month August 2022
To support Ancestry Month August 2022, we're showing the Queen Victoria Lithograph - a portrait of The Royal Family Queen Victoria, Price Albert and their five children. 1846. The New Zealand Society of Genealogists Te Rangapū Kaihikohiko o Aotearoa observes Family...
Objects of Adornment
An amazing display of unique jewellery-type artefacts from the Museum collection. On show now for the month of July 2023!
Wooden Collectibles
Wooden Collectibles A digital and artefact display of an amazing variety of objects from the Museum collection made specifically from wood. What makes these objects interesting is their connection to the social history of a place and its people. Who make the object...
ANZAC 2022
How do you commemorate ANZAC? ANZAC is a special time of our calendar year when we remember those who fought in the World War II. Most recently, it is also a time to remember and reflect on all those who have lost their lives in wars New Zealand soldiers have...
Kaleidoscope of Colour 2022
A Trip to view the Van Gogh Live Exhibition This year the artists from Enrich+ traveled up to view this amazing exhibition. It was the inspiration of their 2022 exhibition on the Front Porch Gallery at Te Awamutu Museum. We're proud and honoured to collaborate with...
Queen Victoria Lithograph
Portrait of The Royal Family Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their Five Children. Lithograph 1846 This lithograph is an exquisite exemplar of the reproduction of a portrait of the British imperial family. Franz Xavier Winterhalter, painter to the Royal Courts of...
Forged in Fire
Forged in Fire! An exhibition encompassing images and information about the inspiring process representing the collective passion for wood-fired pottery, bringing together artists and their skills to create, maintain and fire a unique anagram kiln located in...
Rahapa Te Hauata
Front Porch Exhibition for October 2021 This exhibition developed from a huge interest from whānau members and locals wanting to hear more about this amazing story and share it with our community. On the Front Porch we show...
Kia Kaha te Reo Māori
Celebrating Māori Language Month at the Museum! Nau mai, hoki mai ki te whare taonga o Te Awamutu. We have a month long exhibition celebrating te reo Māori for the month of September on the Front Porch Gallery. Ae, that's right! Come in and see some Museum collection...
Family History Month
Researching history can be an adventure! This exhibition highlighted the journey of some of our most significant taonga Māori, objects, and archives, accessioned into the Museum collection. Each of the frames highlights an amazing part of their story and timeline of...
Matariki Events 2021
Ngā mihi o te Tau Hou 2021! Happy Māori New Year 2021! Matariki is a special time to celebrate the rising of the star cluster that heralds in the Māori New Year. It's a time to create a foundation of positive growth and development. This year we had amazing activities...
ANZAC Commemoration 2021
We will remember them... This is a Museum created exhibition about how locals from Waipā commemorate ANZAC. It highlights how ANZAC came about, ANZAC memorials in the district, how we used to and how we commemorate ANZAC today. Showing on the Front Porch Gallery April...
Wishing Wall 2020-2021
Wishing Wall This interactive wall is a fun way for everyone to make a wish for Christmas 2020 or New Year 2021 for someone special or yourself. Choose a beautiful coloured butterfly, write or draw a picture of your wish and add it to the wall. This exhibition has...
Resilience Resistance Remembrance
"Resilience Resistance and Remembrance" is an internal exhibition developed for the Front Porch Gallery, scheduled to be shown twice a year once around April/March to commemorate the 1864 Waikato British Invasion of the Waikato within the district of Waipā, and for...
Waikato Wars commemorations Feb-Apr 2021
[aesop_image img="https://tamuseum.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Rangiaowhia-Map-PH1499.jpg" panorama="off" imgwidth="80%" align="center" lightbox="on" captionsrc="custom" caption="Map of Rangiaowhia - Te Awamutu Museum Archives" captionposition="left"...
100 Years of Secondary Education in Te Awamutu
Celebrating 100 years of Secondary Education in Te Awamutu "He tangata, he tangata, he tangata!" This exhibition is to celebrate the spirit of people who experienced their secondary education in Te Awamutu. A drop of students from the 1957-60 era instigated the...
Kaleidoscope of Colour
Supporting Autism Awareness Month The Te Awamutu Museum has been celebrating Autism Awareness Month by showcasing local Enrich+ artists art work on the Front Porch Gallery, since 2015. In 2016, the Museum decided to name future exhibitions ‘Kaleidoscope of Colour’ and...
Sacred Spaces – Karen Nicholson
Photographic Exhibition Local artist, designer and photographer Karen Nicholson shares her love of nature and the beauty by showcasing her latest photographic art. Each artwork combines photographic images of flowers, portraiture and design elements that can be hung...