Popular Museum

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 958, 29 April 1930, Page 8

Popular Museum

AUCKLAND’S WAR MEMORIAL

ON Anzac Day Auckland’s War Memorial Museum was visited by more than 12,000 people, the number constituting a record. Since the opening day the support of the public has been steady and its appreciation obvious. After many months of unremitting work the organisation of the institution is now practically complete and the staff is engaged on furthering the institution s work in various fields, all of which combine to offer an admirable, specialised service to the community.

It is now five months since the War Memorial Museum was opened, yet the steady flood of visitors remains at an average of 5,000 a week. Since the beginning of the year 110,000 have entered its doors, the number during Easter week being 9,000.

Of the weekly contingent from 2,000 to 3,000 make the journey to the great white building on the hill during each week-end. The most popular day, of course, is Sunday, when at least twothirds of the week-end crowds make their appearance. “It is evident that this popularity is likely to be maintained,” says Mr. H. E. Vaile, president of the Auckland Institute. “The museum is one of the few of its character at which admission is free every day in the year except Christmas Day and Good Friday, and it is clear that the public appreciates this.” ft has been found, too, that visitors are not ignoring the presence of a box at the main doors in which subscriptions to swell the museum funds may be placed. In the memorial gallery—a spot that attracts inevitably all who bear in mind the primary purpose of the building and. its meaning—the shrine is soon to be embellished with a bronze wreath of kawa-kawa leaves, the Maori emblem of mourning. At its tying points, sprigs of rosemary, olive and poppy will be fashioned. Tactful hints given by the attendants on duty are gradually teaching the more unthinking visitors that the shrine and its gallery are to be entered in reverence, with heads bared.

But while visitors, day by day, arrive, stroll through the quiet galleries, and depart, experts are still busily employed behind the polished door marked “Administrative.” An extensive scientific service is being organised for the community, and already its benefits are being reaped. Inquiries, many of which require patient research, are pouring in steadily. The man whose house has

been attacked by borer applies to the museum authorities for advice as to the best method of attacking the pest. The enthusiastic amateur gardener whose efforts are being offset by strange parasites, appeals for similar assistance, and the sufferer from mosquitoes adds his voice to chorus of inquiry.

A householder, while reading his evening paper, discovers a multilegged creature of queer and alarming shape crawling steadily across the cable page. He flicks it into a handy bottle and posts it to Mr. Gilbert Archey, curator of the museum, and in due course his mind is set at rest with a description of the insect and an assurance that it is harmless. So the questions are received, verbally and by letter. Ia the past six weeks 151 of them were answered, and one alone involved the identification of more than 60 plants. “This use which is being made of the museum as an inquiry bureau is a proper one, giving us every cause for satisfaction,” says Mr. Archey. “We welcome the inquiries, for we are here to serve the community in every way we can.”

Another useful work behind the museum scenes is the growing one of educating school children by means of travelling exhibits. Seven speciallyprepared exhibits have already gone out to various schools, the displays comprising three botanical groups, three shell groups, and two fish groups. From time to time these are to be added to and, at intervals, the displays “on the road” will be returned for repair and, possibly, enlargement. Shortly after the opening of the museum parties of school teachers were conducted through the museum and now, in their turn, they are bringing parties of children.

In addition to these two avenues of instruction for children, a system by which lantern slides may be prepared and issued by the museum authorities for showing at Auckland schools is being devised. Thus the display and maintenance of exhibits in the public galleries of the museum by no means occupies the undivided attention of the staff. An external organisation of great value to the province is being developed.