MEDIA RELEASE

27 March 2007

The weather may be cooling down but the Museum is heating up…

The Auckland Museum is the place to be for children and families over the autumn school holidays. With a line up of live performance, arts and crafts, education, story telling, poetry and… of course dinosaurs, the Museum is the hottest place to be.

The hugely popular Night at Auckland Museum is returning and will be running from April 10 to April 22 followed by additional nights on April 28 - April 29. Discover what happens at the Museum after the lights are switched off and doors are firmly closed. Kids are invited to bring a torch and follow Harry, the mischievous security guard; who will once again be leading the public through the dark and mysterious Museum while sharing insider’s knowledge on the characters that lurk within. Two of these very special characters have recently hatched and made the Museum their home - now all they need is a name! Basil and Delaurus are now proud parents of a baby girl and boy dryosaur and they desperately need your help to choose their names.

Throughout the school holidays the Museum has daily events that will creatively inspire children while being educational and affordable for the whole family.

The Museum offers children an Anzac day programme complete with interactive activities which includes the poppy mural, wreath making and poetry reading. Families can come together on April 25th in remembrance of Australian and New Zealand soldiers of WW1 and WW2.

ENDS

SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENTS

Night at Auckland Museum
Tuesday to Sundays,
10-22 April, 28-29 April
40 minute tours start at 5.30pm, 6.15pm and 7pm
Prices are: $14 adults, $8 children ($10, $5 members).

Spend a Night at Auckland Museum and discover what happens when we close our doors. Follow our security guard as he does his rounds through the dark and mysterious galleries. Meet things that go bump in the night, and even a few characters previously thought to be extinct! Bookings are essential. For more information about the Night at Auckland Museum and to make bookings please phone 09 3067048 or email bookings@aucklandmuseum.com.

Naming Competition
Auckland’s favorite Dinosaurs Basil and Delaurus gave birth to twins at Auckland Museum on Christmas Day and they are still looking for the right names for them!
So the museum has launched a competition for children to come up with a name for the new arrivals -Give the babies their names and you could be in to win some great prizes too. Not only do you get to tell your friends that YOU named the cutest newest dinosaurs in town, but there are fantastic prizes up for grabs! It's easy - just send your chosen name for the new dinosaurs as well as your name, age, address and telephone number when you enter online at www.classichits.co.nz or by post to The Aucklander, Name the Dino Competition, Attn Karen, 46 Albert Street, PO Box 32, Auckland. Entries close on Sunday April 21 and winners will be announced in the Aucklander on April 25

Lest We Forget Poetry Competition
Following on from the success of last year's poetry competition, held in conjunction with Auckland City Libraries, we invite children to pen their own responses to war past or present. The finalists will be asked to present their poem in the Hall of Memories on ANZAC day. Entry forms can be found at the Museum's website and information desks and at Auckland City Libraries.

Children's and Family Workshops
10 Minute Activities (Friday 6 April — Sunday 22 April)
Create your own decorative art to take home with our fantastic craft activities.

10am — 12pm and 1.30pm — 3pm daily in Weird & Wonderful
$2 (or $1 for Dinomite Members)
All ages welcome.

Saturdays: Stamp Wrap
Sundays: Designer Badges
Mondays: Doily Art
Tuesdays: Stamp Wrap
Wednesdays: Designer Badges
Thursdays: Beautiful Brooches
Fridays: Pattern Pots

Art in Nature
Thursday 12 April, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Ages 7-10 years
Learning Centre
$10 (or $7.50 for Dinomite members)

Find natural inspiration. Study the cool patterns found in plants, rocks, water, sand and shells with Glenys Stace. Learn about tessellations, fractals, spirals and other natural art and take home some samples!

Art Couture
Friday 13 April, 10.30am — 1pm
Ages 10-15 years
Learning Centre
$12 (or $9 for Dinomite members)

Explore the historic clothing and costume in our Decorative Arts Galleries for inspiration, learn some crafty construction skills, then create your own piece of wearable art with Ariane Craig-Smith.

Creative Costume Competition
Wednesday 18 April, 11am Treasures & Tales
Age groups 4-6, 7-10, 11-15

Start rummaging in the rubbish, delving into the dress-ups, searching in the sewing basket and get your creative caps on! Autumn is here and we want you to create your own piece of wearable art inspired by the theme ‘Fall Fashion’. Wear it for our fabulous fashion show here at Auckland Museum, and have your creation judged by a leading fashion designer! Pick up an entry form from the Stevenson Discovery Centre or Information Desk.

Hannah’s World Fair Tours
Saturday 7, 14, 21 April, and International Museum Day Friday 18 May
10:30am and 11:30am. Meet in the Atrium by the circular Information Desk.
Join Auckland Museum’s character Hannah, one of the 14 New Zealand Hostesses at the 1970 World Fair and Exposition, Osaka, Japan. With 64 million visitors and 80 countries represented, New Zealand presented the very best in our Design Arts and Culture. Hannah guides us through our Museum collections including New Zealand Design & Decorative Arts, with insightful and entertaining commentary on the expo with some interesting connections around the Museum.

Anzac Day

12pm & 2pm Meet by the Zero on the 2nd floor: Family Tours of Scars on the Heart
12pm – 4.30pm Treasures & Tales: Kid’s Activity: Poppy Mural
12.30pm & 2.30pm Scars on the Heart: Nurse Lottie performance
1.30pm World War II Hall of Memories: Poetry Reading

ENDS

© Scoop Media