History in the making
After a couple of false starts, Tauranga is finally getting its very own museum in 2028. But what will it show and why do we need one?
words Karl Puschmann
photos Katie Cox + supplied
The grand opening of the new Tauranga Museum may still be four years away but director Greg McManus’ excitement has already well and truly arrived.
When UNO calls for a chat to catch up on how the project’s going he’s bubbling with enthusiasm and bursting with ideas for how he sees the museum benefitting and adding value to the community.
His energy towards the long-delayed project is infectious and leaves you wishing it was opening as soon as possible.
But alas, the museum doors won’t open until 2028. With construction on its prime inner-city site having recently started, it proves the adage ‘good things come to those who wait’. Greg is a 30 year veteran of museums around New Zealand, including stints as Director at Rotorua Museum and most recently as CEO of Waitangi Treaty Grounds where he oversaw the development of two new museums, and feels strongly about the importance of museums to communities
“I believe every community needs a museum,” he says. “Museums house our collective memory, they store and interpret the history of an area, not just for visitors from out of town or overseas, but also for ourselves. We need museums to help us better understand the stories of the place we live in, and also the stories of others who share the place with us. Museums encourage an understanding of diversity and the interwoven relationships we have as people living together in the same place and they play a huge role in inspiring children and young people to have an interest in art, culture, science and natural history.”
The future Tauranga Civic Whare, Exhibition Gallery and Museum.
Strengthening the connection between people and place is one of Greg’s big passions and is high on the priority list for the museum.
He says that people get a greater understanding and sense of belonging from knowing the history of where they live. Tauranga and its surrounding region is full of unique stories and significant sites that deserve our attention.
“When people drive down Cameron Road, they drive past the Gate Pā battle site,” he cites as an example.
“I suspect a lot of people don't know or don’t give it a second thought, but that battle was a really important event in the history of Aotearoa New Zealand, not just Tauranga. There are sites like that all through the region.”
He’s also keen to showcase the many innovations that have occurred here, including the first-ever hot water cylinder to be run off public electricity invented right here in Tauranga in 1915 by Lloyd Mandeno and in the museum’s collection.
In total the museum collection houses more than 33,000 objects in total, with most having never been seen publicly because, until now, there’s been nowhere to display them.
“Obviously, we're not going to have 33,000 objects on display in the museum,” he clarifies with a laugh. “But the permanent exhibitions will be rich with objects from our collection and other collections around the country. It will be a real weaving together of stories, objects and images into a broad, rich experience. Because that’s what museums are: places that tell stories.”
Along with the main, permanent exhibitions, there will also be two large galleries for temporary exhibitions. This, Greg says, will open up Tauranga to world-class exhibitions that we’d usually need to travel to places like Auckland or Wellington to see. He talks about partnering with other museums to bring exhibitions from overseas but also about leading the charge and bringing international exhibitions exclusively to Tauranga. This would enrich our cultural exposure and also encourage people from other parts of New Zealand to visit the region.
“There's a huge circuit of exhibitions travelling around the world all the time,” he says excitedly. “We'll be able to tap into that and bring exhibitions to Tauranga. People love coming to the Bay of Plenty year-round and if we have fantastic exhibitions it will encourage them to stay longer and contribute more to the local economy.”
But all that is secondary to his first objective of telling Tauranga’s stories and encouraging locals to feel a connection with their shared history. He wants residents to have free entry to the core museum experience and, to encourage engagement and a sense of ownership, is starting a Friends of the Museum programme. The idea is to keep people informed about what’s happening as well as provide exciting opportunities and benefits to members.
“It really will make people feel a part of the museum as we build it and make that connection so much stronger,” he smiles.
And that’s what the new Tauranga Museum is going to be all about. Greg says he wants people to come to their museum and see themselves reflected in the stories it tells and perhaps learn a little more about the place they call home and the people they share it with. It's all about providing the opportunity for gaining an understanding of the richness of living in a place.”
He pauses for a second and then laughs and says, “Tauranga’s not just about going to the mall or going to the beach. There's a lot more to it than that and our museum will reflect that!”
