A Museum and More in New Zealand
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New Zealand is scheduled to open its huge national museum with a splash Feb. 14 when 30 Maori war canoes glide across Wellington Harbor at dawn, the start of daylong public events featuring hundreds of Maori indigenous islanders.
The five-floor waterfront complex, about a 10-minute walk from downtown Wellington, combines the former National Museum and National Art Gallery under one roof, along with new virtual-reality games and rides that simulate windsurfing, bungee jumping and an earthquake; a Maori spiritual center, known as a marae; an outdoor boardwalk with samples of native bush, wetlands and caves; and a children’s learning center.
“It’s been controversial,” spokesman Paul Brewer conceded, referring to the high-tech games, “because some people think museums should only be about serious pursuits.”
The $200-million complex, known as the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, also has a range of restaurants, a wine bar, portable espresso bars and a theater.
The museum will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Tuesday, when it will stay open until 9:30 p.m. Admission is free, although the rides and games cost about $1.90 to $2.50 each. Information: telephone 011-644-381-7000.
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