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Community events > First Flight: Daily Butterfly Release

Ever witnessed the first flight of a butterfly? Here is your chance!

Be there for that special moment and help release the young butterflies to take flight in the Tropical Forest. Join us every morning to learn about the amazing transformation butterflies go through before they can finally fly!

Starts Saturday 04-Jul-2009 to 31-Dec-2010 at 10:30 am
Admission fee FREE with your Discovery World Tropical Forest admission
Location Tropical Forest
   
Community events > Creators’ Club Term 4: Model Mania
Model making gone mad! Check out the Museum's amazing models and try your hand at creating your own. From awesome Pacific outrigger canoes to village huts - or even entire islands! Scale things up to make giant bugs or down to make a miniature Colosseum.
 
EVERY Wednesday from 21 October – 9 December, 3.30pm - 5pm

Animal Models 2
Create an 'environment' for your model animal to live in - using a shoebox and some imagination!
Wednesday 11 November

Modelling the Land 1
Using the Mapoutahi Pa in Tangata Whenua as inspiration, begin creating your own pa site - or even an island!
Wednesday 18 November

Modelling the Land 2
Phew! Building landforms takes a lot of work. Complete your model pa or island today.
Wednesday 25 November

Ancient Architecture 1
From the Colosseum of Rome to Egyptian 'soul houses', draw inspiration from ancient architecture! Using clay, straw and sand, construct a magnificent dwelling.
Wednesday 2 December

Ancient Architecture 2
Finish your ancient architecture-inspired model and celebrate all we have created with a mini club 'exhibition' - complete with an opening party!
Wednesday 9 December
Starts Wednesday 21-Oct-2009 to 09-Dec-2009 at 3:30 pm
Admission fee $10 per session or $65 for all 8 sessions
Suitable for ages 7-12
Tickets available at the Information Desk – ph 474 7474
Location Meet at the Information Desk
   
Community events > RoboClub Term 4: Archaic Machines
Take technology back in time! Programme your robot to build ancient machines and compete in classical contests.

EVERY Wednesday from 21 October – 9 December, 3.30pm – 5pm
Starts Wednesday 21-Oct-2009 to 09-Dec-2009 at 3:30 pm
Admission fee $10 per session or $65 for all 8 sessions
Suitable for ages 8-15
Tickets available at the Information Desk - ph 474 7474
Location Meet at the Information Desk
   
Community events > Interactive Trolley: The Earth's Riches

From opalescent gemstones to mesmerising gold, humans have always been fascinated by the treasures of the Earth. Become a 'mineral Olympian' and put our samples through their paces. From weightlifting to streak tests, find out who tops the mineral hardness scale as you discover the techniques geologists use to identify minerals.

EVERY Saturday and Sunday during November, 12pm and 3.30pm

Starts Sunday 01-Nov-2009 to 30-Nov-2009
Admission fee FREE!
Location Atrium Level 1
   
Community events > Search Centre Programme - Origami: the art of folding paper

The ancient Japanese art of origami is rich in etiquette, stories and symbolism, and important in Japanese culture. This is your chance to 'join the fold' and create some of origami's most iconic shapes.

EVERY Saturday and Sunday during November and December
DAILY during the school holidays
2.30pm, FREE!

Starts Sunday 01-Nov-2009 to 31-Dec-2009 at 2:30 pm
Admission fee FREE!
Location Search Centre, Level 1
   
Community events > StART Workshops: Get Crafty

StART Workshops: Felted fabrics, wools and buttons

Need a creative outlet? Wondering where to start? Get some inspiration from the history and collections at the Otago Museum.

Each session begins with a special background intro tour. You'll view gems from the collections and find out about their history and the industry behind them. Freshly full of inspiration, you'll be introduced to handcrafts in the workshop session, from funky felts to button jewellery and hot stitches of knitting.

A great chance to get crafty before Christmas!

EVERY Saturday from 7 November to 28 November
1pm - 3.30pm, Atrium Level 2

$12 per session or $20 for a module of 2 sessions
Bookings essential - tickets available at the Information Desk.
Includes all materials

What to StART with?

MODULE 2: Felt, fantastic fabrics and creative critters

Felt animal critters

Intro: Check out a selection of items inside the Museum Conservation Lab - including felt stuffed toys from the 1940s and 1950s.
Workshop: Draw on the Otago Museum's soft and furry animals in the Animal Attic to create your own unique felt critter.
Saturday 21 November

Fabulous felting
Intro: Visit the Nature Gallery to collect inspiration in shapes and patterns of nature and check out felted collections on display elsewhere in the Museum.
Workshop: Let your imagination run wild, drawing on the shapes and textures in nature as inspiration, find out how to felt and make your own themed funky felt brooch.
Saturday 28 November

Starts Saturday 07-Nov-2009 to 28-Nov-2009 at 1:00 pm
Admission fee $12 per session or $20 per module
Bookings essential - tickets available at the Information Desk, ph 474 7474
Suitable for all ages and includes all materials!
Location Atrium Level 2
   
Exhibitions > Charles Brasch: 'A great good man'
Starts 07-Mar-2009 to 01-Apr-2010
Admission fee FREE
Click here for more info
   
Exhibitions > Charles Darwin: Evolutionary Thinking
Starts 27-Jun-2009 to 16-May-2010
Admission fee FREE
Click here for more info
   
Exhibitions > Otago Wildlife Photography Exhibition 2009
Starts 24-Sep-2009 to 29-Nov-2009
Admission fee 1877 Gallery, FREE!
Click here for more info
   
Gallery talks > DAILY Gallery Talk - Charles Darwin: Evolutionary Thinking
Darwin's theory of the evolution of new species through natural selection divided the people of the time. 150 years on we celebrate Darwin and his contribution to our understanding of the natural world.
Starts Sunday 01-Nov-2009 to 30-Nov-2009 at 4:30 pm
Admission fee FREE!
Location Meet at the Information Desk
   
Gallery talks > Karetao - a Māori puppet
This carved treasure has told many stories, but the Karetao is a story in itself. Discover the cultural context of this Māori puppet.
Starts Monday 23-Nov-2009 at 2:00 pm
Admission fee FREE!
Location Meet at the Information Desk
   
Tours > Tangata Whenua
Discover and explore the Tangata Whenua Gallery with its impressive displays of Maori cultural artifacts, including one of the best collections of southern Maori material in the world. Gain an insight into the cultural treasures of Tangata Whenua - the people of the land, New Zealand Maori.

Tangata Whenua guided tours are available daily at any time during opening hours by prior arrangement.
Admission fee $10 per person
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > Nature
The unique natural history of Otago is detailed in this excellent gallery, designed for you to discover the natural treasures of our land and coastline. This tour gives a close-up look at bird and insect life, including displays of the Northern Royal Albatross, the endangered Yellow-Eyed Penguin and the giant extinct moa. See one of the few complete moa eggs in the world!

Nature guided tours are available daily at any time during opening hours by prior arrangement.
Admission fee $10 per person
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > Pacific Cultures
Discover the many cultures of the Pacific during a tour of the outstanding Pacific Culture Galleries. Find out about the significance of the masks, tools, and instruments representative of early life. A special feature is the magnificent display of Pacific Island statues, rarely seen elsewhere.

Pacific Cultures guided tours are available daily at any time during opening hours by prior arrangement.
Admission fee $10 per person
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > People of the World
Explore archaeological treasures from around the world including ancient Greek pottery, examples of the world’s earliest forms of writing from Mesopotamia and sculpture and fine artwork from Ancient Egypt. Learn the stories behind the stunning decorative arts from Asia and Europe, Tibetan Buddhist material and Chinese snuff bottles. Admire the beauty of the Venetian glass and ceramics from around the world. Other treasures include a striking collection of swords, a large collection of West African Ashanti cast iron bronze figures used for weighing gold, and a beautiful array of costumes and textiles.

People of the World guided tours are available daily at any time during opening hours by prior arrangement.
Admission fee $10 per person
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > Maritime
Maritime history is an important part of the New Zealand story, and the Maritime Gallery is a treasure trove of elaborate scale-models, nautical artifacts and builder’s models considered to be among the best in the Southern Hemisphere. Taking pride of place in the centre of this gallery is the skeleton of a great fin whale.

Maritime guided tours are available daily at any time during opening hours by prior arrangement.
Admission fee $10 per person
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > Animal Attic
At the very top of the Museum you’ll find this magnificent timbered Victorian gallery - a museum within a museum! Immerse yourself in the style of museums gone by and gain not only an insight into all things animal, but also the museum culture of the 1800’s when this gallery was first opened. This is a unique experience in New Zealand - don’t miss it!

Animal Attic guided tours are available daily at any time during opening hours by prior arrangement.
Admission fee $10 per person
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > Highlights of the Museum
For an introduction to the extensive breadth and depth of the Otago Museum's collections, join us for a 'Highlights of the Museum' tour. Explore the best of the Tangata Whenua, Animal Attic and Nature Galleries in our 'recommended components' tour. Or choose to visit the remainder of our permanent collections (excluding Southern Land, Southern People, which is covered extensively in the official 15:30 guided tour) in our 'optional components' tour, which can be tailored to suit your interests.
Starts Daily at 11:30 am (other times by prior arrangement)
Admission fee $10 per person, or FREE for Otago residents bringing visitors.
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > Discovery World Tropical Forest
Take the hottest tour in town - join our Tropical Forest Communicator to get the in-depth, inside stories of the rainforest and the creatures that live within.
Starts Daily at 1:30 pm (other times by prior arrangement)
Admission fee $25 per person
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Tours > Southern Land, Southern People
Discover a region of superlatives and extremes… driest, wettest, coldest, highest, windiest, wildest, most remote. Southern Land, Southern People explains the origins of our demanding landscape and environment, how people discovered and explored it, how they utilised its natural resources, and how its challenging nature rubbed off on the people in the form of ‘southern character’.
Starts Daily at 3:30 pm (other times by prior arrangement)
Admission fee $10 per person, or FREE for Otago residents bringing visitors.
Location Meet at the Information Desk
Make a booking   email tours@otagomuseum.govt.nz
   
Always open : Galleries, Shop and Cafe. We look forward to seeing you!