We're bringing the Museum to the public. Virtually at least.
Since the COVID-19 Alert 4 lockdown began, Otago Museum staff from all divisions have been working busily creating an
enormous range of material for the public to access while confined to their bubbles. From the café to collections, from
education to animal husbandry, the new portal showcases the diverse range of skills in the Otago Museum team.
Material is now available at www.otagomuseum.nz/athome and includes blogs, jigsaw puzzles, video chats, craft activities, science experiments, past and current exhibitions
and displays, and much more. It is split into Read, Do, Listen, and Watch, but there are also filters so people can
refine what they see (such as outdoor, child-friendly, food, history, astronomy, etc).
There will be regular new material, as content is created and added, and the subject matter is limited only by the
imagination of the staff creating it, their access to material, and their capacity to create the content from their own
homes.
There is an underlying educational component to a lot of the material, useful for parents looking to keep children
engaged and curious, with the focus firmly on the Otago and Southland region, our place.
The intent, however, is mostly for people to be entertained, inspired, and intrigued during this strange time, and
perhaps also to see their museum in a different light.
It’s not the same as the physical experience of being surrounded by our collection and knowledgeable staff, but it will
bring the Museum into people’s homes while they can’t get very far out of them.