PAST EXHIBITIONS
The museum has hosted a wide range of exhibitions in the past. These have covered all sorts of Otaki activities, places and people. They have included:
ŌTAKI WOMEN AND THE FIGHT FOR THE VOTE
September - October 2018
The exhibition included copies of the signatures of the women from the district who signed the 1893 petition as well as a list of those who registered for the general roll. It also included information about the role of Maori women in the suffrage movement.
THE OTAKI SCHOLAR AND ŌTAKI: A LEGACY OF WORLD WAR 1
For 75 years a student from a Scottish secondary school has travelled to New Zealand annually to visit selected schools and to see the country. The student, from Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon’s College, holds the Otaki Shield which commemorates a sea battle fought in the Atlantic during World War I. A former pupil of Robert Gordon’s College, Archibald Bisset Smith, captained the SS Otaki which was sunk by a German raider the Moewe. Captain Bisset Smith went down with the ship and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery. In 1937 his family presented the Otaki Shield to the college in his memory.
This annual visit has helped to develop a strong relationship between Robert Gordon’s College, Ōtaki College and the Ōtaki community. Ōtaki Museum is hosting an exhibition to commemorate 75th anniversary of the scholarship.
OTAKI VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE: 100 YEARS
In June of 2018, the Otaki Volunteer Fire Brigade commemorated 100 years of service to the local community. As part of the commemorative programme, the Otaki Heritage Bank Museum, in conjunction with the Otaki Volunteer Fire Brigade, put together an exhibition covering the Brigade’s 100 years. It featured notable fires they have attended, members of the community who have served and old uniforms.
OTAKI CHILDREN'S HEALTH CAMP
Telling stories of the Otaki Children's Health Camp, since it opened in 1932. In the early days, when there was still a fear of tuberculosis, "delicate and undernourished" children were sent to the camp to improve their health. Meals were plentiful and outdoor activities were held to expose the children to fresh air and sunshine. The local community has always supported the camp, making donations of food and helping with provision of equipment. Many Otaki residents have worked at the camp over the years. For some children it was a fun and carefree time and a respite from a difficult home life. For others it was not such a happy time, with heavy discipline and unfamiliar surroundings. This exhibition tells some of the stories from children and staff, and features the early years, buildings, food and activities and the health stamp campaigns. There is also a new book available: "Sun, Sea and Sustenance" written by Di Buchan about the history of the camp.
MAIN STREET
Summer 2017/2018
Over the summer we are featured an additional exhibition about Otaki’s Main St. It featured photographs and objects from shops and businesses that were an important part of Otaki’s life in the past.
(Photo: Otaki Historical Society Collection)
OTAKI HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION
August 2017
The exhibition celebrated 40 years of preserving Otaki's history. It featured memorabilia, scrapbooks, historical journals, photos, and the Rangiatea Graves project.
WORLD WAR I AT SEA
Early Domestic Life in Otaki
31October 2016 to 25 February 2017
How people lived (mid 1800s to 1950): cooking, clothes and home life.
Not only Te Rauparaha & Hadfield but also ....
14 April to 1 October 2016
The stories of 37 personalities who contributed to the development of Otaki town and district in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Kapiti Island
31 July 2015 to 26 March 2016
The history of Kapiti Island: the early Maori settlement, the impact of the whalers, farming and conservation.
ÇANAKKALE – Road to peace out of war
5 to 27 June 2015
The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey's exhibition of photographic images taken by Turkish soldiers who served in the trenches at Gallipoli in 1915.
Otaki Remembers World War 1
4 August 2014 to 27 June 2015
From the Proclamation of War on 5 August 1914 to the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918 the exhibition has presented many aspects of World War I and its impact on those who served and the people at home.
