Contributor

Te Awamutu’s Museum is back, but with a new purpose and a new name.

The museum was forced to close overnight last October following a seismic assessment which showed the building was vulnerable in an earthquake. Staff are busy ensuring the security of artefacts Meanwhile, the Museum has recently reopened as the ‘Te Awamutu Museum Education & Research Centre’ at 55 Rickit Road, Te Awamutu. The new space focuses on providing an education-centred service and free interactive and family-friendly activities with the spotlight firmly on Waipā’s rich history. Dedicated parking is available.

The Museum is still providing educational programmes to over 4000 children each year and the close liaison with many local and national groups including iwi and Tainui representatives is being maintained.
There is also an emphasis on research with space provided so people can access the museum’s extensive archive of paper, photograph and digital documents. More than 18,000 items available online and is a fabulous resource for people to use.

Museum director Anne Blyth said the new space at the building leased by Council in Rickit Road could not technically be called a museum.

“Museums must meet really stringent standards in terms of climate control, pest management and security and we simply can’t meet those standards in the Ricket Road space. But that doesn’t mean we can’t offer something else really valuable to the community, so that’s what we are doing.”