The concept for the experience followed the same approach we take for all heritage properties. We consulted extensively with the local stakeholders and spent a lot of time in the building trying to gain insights into not only the stories, but also the best way to approach creating a visitor experience with a specific space.

The small exhibition centres around two key pieces - the Thousand Years of History Interactive and the Whaling Miniature dioramas. These pieces were created specifically with this room in mind to be low key, compact and detailed. We worked with expert furniture designers and model makers to create the aesthetic and finish that would suit the time period and the room.

A Thousand Years of History is a bi-lingual interactive animation. In a similar approach to the Northland History Map, we tell the ancient stories of Ngai Tahu using elegant, hand-drawn depictions of myths and ancestors. The interactive can toggle seamlessly between English and Te Reo, and is extremely popular with international visitors who love listening to the cadence of Te Reo while watching the animations.

Whaling Dioramas - The interpretive models and stories are housed in hand-made oak cases, with all curves created using the ancient coopering technique. The models tell the story of how a whale gets turned into a barrel of oil, and what it ends up getting used for. These highly detailed scenes paint a sequential picture and are popular with all ages.