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Toitū Otago Settlers Museum Board
23 August 2023
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Reports
Toitū Otago Settlers Museum and Lan Yuan
Dunedin Chinese Garden Activity Report
Department: Arts and Culture
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
1
This report covers activities
of Toitū Otago Settlers Museum (Toitū) and Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese
Garden (Lan Yuan) from 1 April to 30 June 2023.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Board:
a) Notes the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum and Lan Yuan
Dunedin Chinese Garden Activity Report for the period 1 April to 30 June
2023.
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BACKGROUND
2 This
report is prepared for the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum Board meeting and
details the latest activities and KPI performance at Toitū and Lan Yuan.
DISCUSSION
Visitation
3 Toitū
recorded just over 210,000 visitors in 2022/23. The annual visitation
target is 250,000. Visitation levels have not yet returned to their
pre-COVID levels.
COLLECTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS
Exhibitions
4 Updates
and scheduled changeouts to permanent display and public areas are as follows:
· Hallenstein
Collaborative Project: The Dunedin Glam sector is working collaboratively
to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of Hallenstein
Brothers. The success of the business afforded the extended Hallenstein family
great wealth, and many were generous benefactors to the Dunedin Public Art
Gallery, Toitū, Tūhura Otago Museum, Dunedin Public Libraries, Hocken
Library, and the University of Otago Special Collections Library. In October a
booklet will be launched which guides visitors on a walking tour to take in a
series of small exhibitions which explore the Hallenstein legacy of cultural
treasures gifted to the City of Dunedin.
· First
Great City: The refreshed component of this exhibition will take place in
October to coincide with the Hallenstein collaborative project.
· NZR
Garage: Following the completion of building remediation works, the
Exhibitions team is now well underway with construction of new plinths for
displays. Toitū plans to launch the new and improved version of this
exhibition space at the end of November ready for summer visitors.
Journey to New
Edinburgh
5 Toitū
continues to roll out the short films which focus on the stories of specific
settler families. These are currently available on the Toitū YouTube
channel but will eventually be rolled out into the permanent displays across
New Edinburgh and First Great City.
Online Outputs and
Public Talks
6 Two
Talking Pictures episodes were released to the Toitū YouTube
channel.
7 Two
Cool and Collected articles were published in the Otago Daily Times.
8 Eight
public talks were delivered.
Collections
Support of
Exhibitions Projects
9 The
Collections team have provided a significant amount of support in preparing
objects for the NZR Garage project.
Collections
Projects
Digitisation
10 Current
projects include the digitisation of:
· Toitū’s
collection of Otago Witness Illustrated Weekly Newspaper volumes 1900-1919;
1921-1922; 1926. The illustrated volumes are an invaluable resource that is
difficult to access due to the condition of the volumes. Digital access will
ensure the long term safety of the collection as well as making it more
accessible. The project is being carried out through The Preserving Local
History and Education Trust.
· A
Burton Brothers photographic album. This early album contains images from
around New Zealand in the Victorian era but is in poor condition due to
deterioration of its spine and warping of some of the card.
Collection
Management
11 Work
on revising the Collections Policy and Collecting Plan continues as part of a
wider project including the need to address hazards in the Toitū
collection. In particular work continues on our approach to collections
containing asbestos and chemical hazards.
Archive
Statistics
12 Staff
processed 98 written public enquiries and 20 telephone enquiries during the
reporting period.
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Enriching
Local Curriculum (ELC) – Education
13 The
education room was redecorated this reporting period with new paint, shelving
and blinds making it a lighter, brighter, and more welcoming environment for
our visiting ākoka. Some themes covered in the past few months
include:
· Kāi
Tahu migration, first contact (sealers and whalers), Across the Ocean Waves
(what life was like in steerage and upon arrival in Dunedin), parehaka and
connections with Dunedin, Otago Chinese History, early Otago settlement
(covering Māori, European and Chinese migration and experiences), the
impact of colonisation on mana whenua, the Early Scottish immigrants on the
Philip Laing, local histories (Waikouaiti School), transport, forces, motions and
machines, and general museum explorations and experiences.
· Through
the outreach programme, the Kaiako Māori has facilitated sessions at Lee
Stream School, helping ākoka develop a design for their new school signage
based on their rohe – the legend of Matamata. Also visits to Portobello
school where the ākoka developed a mural depicting the story of Tarewai.
Students first identified the local landmarks that should feature in the story,
then discussed which tools and technologies from Toitū should feature in their
300-year-old landscape mural. At Tahuna Intermediate the Kaiako taught a
leadership group the Matariki waiata-ā-ringa which they then taught their
own class in preparation for their Matariki whānau evening.
Visitor
Programmes
14 It
has been pleasing to see the strong uptake in visitation in public attendance
at the suite of events developed and facilitated through the Visitor Programme
team. A wide variety of self-guided gallery trails, public talks, workshops,
demonstrations, and performances were offered during this reporting period
including:
· ANZAC
Day commemorations. Toitū opened after the dawn service, serving
refreshments to over 600 people, the largest number the museum has had for
several years. There were a number of related performances and activities
offered throughout the weekend.
· Workshops
continue to be popular and are routinely booked out with good demand from
families, couples, and individuals of all ages. Examples include the newly
introduced gold panning workshops, Easter cake decorating and Matariki themed
biscuit and cake pop workshops with guest tutor Jessie Taylor, free workshops
on creating your own environmentally friendly sanitary products lead by Sew on
Care, and Junior Genealogists – children’s themed activities in the
research centre, inspiring children to learn about their family history.
· There
were also several demonstrations including expert Brian Ellis showcasing the
ancient art of Penjing, the Dunedin Spinners and Weavers Guild’s monthly
meet up and spinning, knitting, and crocheting demonstration in the Josephine
Foyer, World Knit in Public Day – a knitting project by a talented Otago
Polytechnic School of Art student.
· Toitū
also presented a range of live performances with local and visiting artists
including a children’s musical session by Suzy Cato and Mr Roberelli,
International Dance Day with Michael Parmenter and Kate Grace who led
participants on a journey through the history of partner folk dances, the
monthly Josephine Mini-Bal dance sessions, musicians Jo Smith and Jared Little,
the Dunedin Rock Choir, and the Waitai Warblers.
· The
regular public talks and Tuesday Club continue to have good attendance with
speakers including Otago Art Society member Doug Hall, staff from the Dunedin
Wildlife Hospital, and Daphne Lee who discussed her work at Foulden Maar, one
of New Zealand’s pre-eminent fossil sites. A Toitū favourite,
Toddler Time returned after a lengthy hiatus and incorporated a short museum
engagement session for our youngest visitors with stories, exploration, songs
and activities linking to a monthly theme.
Commercial Activity
15 During
the reporting period Toitū retailing achieved an increase of 34% compared
with the same period last year. The increased visitation had a positive effect
on sales.
16 As
end of June marked the conclusion of the financial year for the Toitū
shop, retail highlights include selling more than 3066 homeware items, 2500
cards, 2244 toys and 692 books.
17 The
Toitū shop held a successful instore sale 6 – 16 April which
coincided with the school holidays.
18 Toitū
held a number of paid hire functions between April – June 2023:
· April
2023 – 11 bookings
· May
2023 – 6 bookings
· June
2023 – 5 bookings
19 This
is a substantial increase in business compared with previous years.
20 The
Commercial Manager attended MEETINGS 23 at Tākina in Wellington 20 –
22 June to promote venue spaces across Toitū, Lan Yuan and DPAG. MEETINGS
is an annual New Zealand trade event focused on the promotion of Business
Events. The Commercial Manager met with 26 groups of clients who are interested
in bringing their event and function business to Dunedin in the future. Some of
the buyers were from Australia but most were based in New Zealand. The
attendees were very impressed with the Toitū and Lan Yuan venue spaces and
especially liked that Toitū and Lan Yuan provided venues with a
difference.
21 The
Functions and Commercial Events Coordinator at Toitū and Lan Yuan promoted
venue hire spaces at The Dunedin Wedding Expo held in May 2023. The Dunedin
Wedding Expo targets the bridal market and includes over 40 of the most
prestigious wedding and bridal suppliers and vendors from the local area.
OPTIONS
22 There
are no options as this report is for information only.
NEXT STEPS
23 There
are no next steps as this report is for information only.
Signatories
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Author:
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Cam McCracken - Director DPAG, Toitū, Lan Yuan and
Olveston
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Authoriser:
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Jeanette Wikaira - General Manager Community Services
(Acting)
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Attachments
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Title
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Page
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⇩a
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Toitū Otago
Settlers Museum Board Delegations 2022-2025
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18
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SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS
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Fit with purpose
of Local Government
This decision promotes the cultural
well-being of communities in the present and for the future.
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Fit with strategic
framework
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Contributes
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Detracts
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Not applicable
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Social Wellbeing Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Economic Development Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Environment Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Arts and Culture Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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3 Waters Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Spatial Plan
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Integrated Transport Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Parks and Recreation Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Other strategic projects/policies/plans
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☒
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☐
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The activities in this report support the Arts and
Culture, Economic Development and Social Wellbeing Strategies.
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Māori Impact
Statement
The Museum consults with and works with
the Ngāi Tahu Advisory Group as well as Rūnaka on a regular
basis.
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Sustainability
The principles of sustainability underpin
all the activity of Toitū and Lan Yuan.
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LTP/Annual Plan /
Financial Strategy / Infrastructure Strategy
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Financial
considerations
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Significance
This decision is considered low in terms
of the Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.
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Engagement –
external
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Engagement -
internal
This report is for noting purposes only.
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Risks: Legal / Health
and Safety etc.
There are no legal or health and safety
risks related to matters in this report.
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Conflict of
Interest
There are no known conflicts of interest.
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Community Boards
There are no known implications for
Community Boards.
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