The blog is where we'll post news, updates, information about objects in our collection, #betterworkstories, profiles of staff members and visitors, pictures and videos, and really anything we think you'd find interesting. We hope you enjoy.
If there's a topic you'd like us to do a post about, or a post that you think needs a sequel, just let us know!
Some fun in the sun
As the run of poor night-time weather has continued here in Dunedin, since the turn of the year I’ve had to resort to daytime observing to get my fix of astronomical excitement. Luckily despite my ongoing nocturnal misery, Dunedin’s long summer days (this week nearly fifteen hours between sunrise and sunset) have occasionally stayed clear long enough for me to point a specially-equipped telescope at our nearest star. As I’ve mentioned previously, you must never look directly at the sun through a normal telescope or binoculars as you will damage your eyes. However, there are types of telescope (called solar telescopes)...
In search of the horse’s head
The past weeks haven’t been happy ones for Dunedin stargazers. Evening weather since Christmas has been dreadful, with few clear nights. With time off over the holiday period, and feeling astronomical withdrawal symptoms, I decided a stargazing road trip was in order...
Summer and ice creams... it's a classic picture
But imagine the moulded ice delicacies displayed and consumed a century or more ago, rather than today’s triple-scoop cone of assorted flavours...
Watch for a close approach of Venus and Neptune
I mentioned recently how readers who had access to binoculars or a telescope could spot Neptune, when it was relatively close to the planet Mars...
New MoU between University and Museum
A redeveloped memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the University of Otago and Otago Museum is set to further invigorate already strong ties between the two institutions, stretching back nearly 150 years. Museum Director Dr Ian Griffin and University Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne say the purpose of the new five-year MoU, which has just been signed, is to contribute to the research, teaching and community services of both institutions through collaborative activity. “From the University's perspective this is recognition of the knowledge, expertise and resources the Otago Museum offers,” says Professor Hayne. “We have often tapped into that in the past and this...
Treasured jewelled gecko returns to Otago
A jewelled gecko/moko-kākāriki has returned to Otago after being smuggled from its Otago Peninsula home into Germany three years ago.
Today the gecko was officially welcomed to its new home at Otago Museum by Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou, Museum staff, the Department of Conservation (DOC), Setpoint Solutions and other parties involved in its repatriation.
Museum data provided for south-east marine protection discussions
Over the last few years there have been some important consultations around what form a new marine protected area or network of areas should take, and where it should be located along the south-east coast of the South Island...
Volunteers and Volunteering in Museums
On the 18th of November Otago Museum hosted one of its two annual Regional Museum Gatherings. As the name suggests these are an opportunity for staff and volunteers from museums and heritage institutions from around the region to get together and talk about issues that are important to us all. The theme for the latest meeting was Volunteers and Volunteering in Museums. Volunteers are a very important part of the heritage sector...
Summertime @ OM
December is shaping up to be an exciting and fun-filled finale to another great year at Otago Museum, and the New Year brings more cool happenings...
Tarantula moult!
Our Andean stripe knee tarantula (formerly known as orange striped birdeater tarantula), has moulted! Moulting is a natural process that tarantulas and other arachnids go through in order to grow. They shed their old skin (exoskeleton), by wriggling free of it, then form a new one. The process is very strenuous and energy-consuming...
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About
Our blog aims to keep you informed of the latest happenings at the Otago Museum, through posts about our collections, our people and our work.
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The views expressed here are those of our individual contributors, and are not the views of the Otago Museum.
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All content of this blog is Copyright Otago Museum, 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the Otago Museum, except for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or education, as provided for in the New Zealand Copyright Act 1994.