Greetings from Wellington, New Zealand.

I have been interested to read the responses that Lyn Payne, Museum of
Victoria in Australia, has been receiving to her enquiry about study
centres.  As the Senior Concept Developer for five Resource Centres being
developed for the new Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, I am very
keen to be part of this network and contribute to the exchange of
information.

The new museum we are planning here will open in 1998.  It will comprise
some 10,000 square metres of exhibition space  featuring collections of:
i) Maori Art and History
ii) Pacific Island cultures
iii) New Zealand Pakeha Art and History
and
iv) New Zealand Natural History

For each of these exhibition zones, there will be an adjacent Resource
Centre (x4).  There will also be a small Learning Centre for children aged 6
years and under, located close to the main entrance and orientation lobby.

At this stage of planning, we too are uncertain about the use and definition
of the terms Resource/Study/Learning/Discovery Centre.  But for the time
being we're going with Resource Centre.   However,  the facilities we are
developing include elements of all the above.

The average size of these Resource Centres is 170 square meters.  Around 45
square metres in each will take the form of a small study area.  Such  areas
will be designed for secondary school students and adults with a general
level of interest - those wanting to access more information related to
exhibitions and relevant collections through our multi-media data-base and
selected publications.  (More specialist researchers will be referred to the
reference library on the 5th level of the building, away from the main
exhibit areas.)

The remaining space - around 125 square metres - will be devoted to a range
of hands-on learning activities targeting young visitors aged 12 years and
under.  These activities will relate to adjacent exhibitions and selected
displays, in the Resource Centre, of items from the corresponding collection
area.

We've had a lot of debate about the feasibility of locating the study and
 hands-on learning functions for different age groups within the same
facility, but  are now confident that we can successfully incorporate both
elements to provide welcoming and highly user-friendly spaces,  appealing
particularly  to cross-generational groups.

In terms of planning, the Art and History Resource Centre is the one most
advanced at this stage.   Developed by myself and a team of three Exhibition
Interpreters, we believe that we've come up with some ideas that kids, as
well as adults, will find engaging and fun.  I would be more than happy to
share some of the planning joys and sorrows we've experienced to date!

Postal Address:

Karen Mason
Project Office
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
PO Box 11566
Wellington
New Zealand

Phone:              Fax:
(64) 4 - 382-6600        (64) 4 - 382-6606


Email Address:
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