Ski museum opens soon

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 447, 4 August 1992, Page 9

Ski museum opens soon

Prime Minister Jim Bolger will open an audio visual display and ski museum at the Tongariro Visitors Centre on the 29th of this month. The $140,000 project was funded from donations made by the public over several years, plus a $15,000 donation by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, $5000 from the Natural History Society and donations from a number of ski clubs . The audio visual display tells the history of the Whanganui and Tuwharetoa tribes and their relationship and links to the mountains. Department of Conservation Field Centre Manager Russell Montgomery said the display

purposely reached no conclusions. "We hope people will go away thinking about the values that Tongariro holds and whether we can preserve them," he said. Both tribes formed committees which liaised closely with DoC to ensure the 26-minute production was correct. '30s onwards The ski history museum portrays the history of skiing at Tongariro and features ski clothing and equipment from the 1930's through to the present day. Mr Montgomery said the clothing was all donated as a result of advertising through radio and newspapers.

There are numerous photographs, some of which are reproductions from a collection of glass-plate photographs passed on by the Ruapehu Ski Club.