The Gum Room at the Kauri Museum, at Matakohe. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n
Kauri Museum chair Hinurewa te Hau<\/a> said the award reflected its evolving role.<\/p>\n \u201cIt positions the museum as culturally valuable and socially alive, not just a place to visit once, but a place people return to, engage with, and identify with. For an Asia-luxury readership, that is a very specific kind of recognition.\u201d <\/p>\n General manager of operations Mel Badenhorst acknowledged the collective effort behind the achievement.<\/p>\n \u201cThis award reflects the commitment of our team, volunteers and community, and the direction we are taking as an organisation that is actively used, relevant and connected. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a proud moment for everyone involved.\u201d<\/p>\n The museum opened in 1962, originally as the Otamatea Pioneer Museum, focusing on the history of the area and the role the kauri tree played in it. <\/p>\n But with thousands of exhibitions, 4500sq m of exhibition halls and galleries, it has grown into so much more and will focus also on the future of the magnificent tree, its survival in the face of kauri dieback disease and other threats.<\/p>\n Marketing officer Tristan Burch said the recognition affirmed the Kauri Museum\u2019s confidence in its story and purpose.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing named Museum of the Year reinforces that the Kauri Museum\u2019s values, purpose, and way of working resonate beyond our region. It\u2019s encouraging to see that acknowledged at an international level.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the story of the kauri tree and its place in the country\u2019s history was fascinating, and it was now important to focus on the future.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to talk about the future of the tree. It\u2019s not just about the history of how we got to here, but also issues like kauri dieback<\/a> and conservation and where to from now for these amazing trees.”<\/p>\n A big part of the criteria for the award was how much visitors enjoyed their visits, and their positive feedback, with the museum scoring very highly.<\/p>\n Burch said these were big factors in the museum\u2019s win, as it seemed to have a \u201cwow factor\u201d that blew people away.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are genuinely overwhelmed when they come here for the first time by the sheer size, scale and depth of the museum and its exhibitions. <\/p>\n \u201cThe main issue is people not realising just how big we are, and that they need at least two to three hours to really absorb everything.\u201d<\/p>\nA spider encased in centuries-old gum as part of the exhibitions at Matakohe\u2019s Kauri Museum. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n
A giant slab of kauri at the Kauri Museum, at Matakohe. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n
One of the many exhibitions at Northland\u2019s multiple award-winning Kauri Museum. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n