The Kauri Museum has embarked on a new digital age. The Museum has always been a hands on experience, but has now declared itself a selfie friendly zone with a new website, mobile app and audio tour so visitors are able to enjoy the Museum digitally, as they explore the galleries.
This innovative digital experience also includes a state of the art audio tour produced entirely with local talent. As visitors move throughout the galleries, the Museum’s audio tour encourages new ways of experiencing the Museum alongside extra multimedia snippets, such as a behind the scenes video tour, pioneering cooking demonstrations and a hidden art trail. This tour, titled ‘Tall tales and short stories’ is Matakohe’s history, told in a local voice.
Undertaken over the last six months, the project has been a labour of love for the local Matakohe community, who have come into the Museum for audio recording, video demonstrations and photo shoots. Kae Bond, the daughter of the Kauri Museum founder Mervyn Sterling, dons a pioneer dress to recount the Museum’s early days over a cup of tea while her brother, Darcy Sterling rolls up his sleeves with the Museum’s Engine Boys to start up the old machines in rarely seen footage. Funny and frightening stories are retold by descendants from the founding families of the area and pioneering times reenacted by volunteers.
Next time you visit The Kauri Museum, pack your selfie stick, get your duck face ready and tweet about it with #kaurimuseum.