ServiceIQ 2015 Museum Awards Announced

ServiceIQ 2015 Museum Awards Announced Biggest, brightest and best!

Air New Zealand 75 Years, WW1 projects by Toitū and Expressions, science explained at MOTAT, Mataura and Hawke's Bay social history – in a year full of commemorations and celebrations, an exciting range of exhibitions and projects have been acknowledged at the 8th annual New Zealand Museum Awards.

Te Radar was this year's guest judge and MC of the celebration at Toitū Otago Settlers Museum tonight. With 170 guests, 22 finalists, and 7 Awards, the dinner brought together museum professionals, exhibition designers, supporters and sponsors.

"I am inspired to visit more of Aotearoa's diverse museums and galleries after seeing the fantastic work they do presented in these awards", says Radar.

ServiceIQ, ITO for Museums, Tourism and other service sectors, has sponsored the 2015 Awards and introduced a new award for Visitor Experience.

ServiceIQ Chief Executive Dean Minchington says: "I'm delighted to present these awards, and celebrate the professionalism in this very exciting sector Museums Aotearoa Executive Director Phillipa Tocker says that this years awards are better than ever. "The number of entries and their standard just keeps going up – with the bar getting higher every year, the Awards are becoming even more inspirational.

And the best thing is that we can celebrate not only the winners, but all the fantastic work being presented nationally".

The Awards dinner was held as part of the Museums Aotearoa's annual conference, MA15 – Communicating Culture. MA15 has been hosted by Otago Museum, with generous support from Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Toitū, and other Dunedin cultural institutions including Hocken Collections, Olveston and Larnach Castle. Earlier in the day the record 240 delegates were welcomed onto Otakou Marae, heard an inspiring keynote presentation from UK palaeontologist Dr Phil Manning, and hosted Hon Maggie Barry, Minister for Arts, Culture & Heritage. The conference continues on Friday 8 May.

ENDS

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