Dominion Museum

Hutt News, Volume XII, Issue 22, 17 November 1948, Page 5

Dominion Museum

TALK TO ROTARY CLUB Dr. R. A. Falla gave a talk on the Dominion 'Museum to the Huir Rotary Club recently. The major portion of the talk related to museums generally, and in doing so he mentioned subdivision of the work.

Firstly, collection. It was necessary that the museum should have a policy regarding the collecting ot specimens, and that they would m\ necessarily accept everything offered to them. Entertainment, value

was one aspect, which had to be considered. Generally speaking, the aims should be records which relate to the life of man in the world, e.g., how much do we know of the land forms on the globe and the effects of the elements on them. This is the natural history part of the museum, and is very helpful from all aspects of general education. It deals with all phe-

nomena of plant and animal life in its various forms, then passes on to the special study of man and what lie has done, then covers the different customs of the different peoples, and lastly, the local story of man in the local area—New Zealand, the history of the. Maori oc cupatioa of our country, and later the coming of the Europeans. A whole portion of museum study can be devoted to historical transport, i.e., the study of means of transport in the past by the evidence of specimens and other signs. Then, and this is becoming increasingly more important, the technological section of the museum covering engineering and science.; Background to History In New Zealand it is necessary to make milestones by the preservation of old buildings, etc., to give some background to our natural history. There is a very big- field covered in other places in the

world in maritime history, e.g., the retention in good condition of the “Discovery” and the “Victory” and in Scandinavia of Amundsen’s “Fram.” Other sections of the work are field work necessary, and this opens up a very wide' scope—classification, research and records. Then, lastly, the public relations aspect of museum work, display, education and exhibition. It covers a very useful purpose in answering enquiries and questions of value to the individual and to people as a whole. ' The Dominion Museum in Wellington is undergoing renovation, and at least a section should be ready for operating by the time cf the Royal visit.