Riverton Heritage Museum

Links to the curriculum provided by the many unique and exquisitely detailed displays  Understand how people pass on and sustain culture and heritage for different reasons and that this has consequences for people.  Understand how exploration and innovation create opportunities and challenges for people, places and environments.  Understand how producers and consumers exercise their rights and meet their responsibilities.  Understand how cultural interaction impacts on cultures and societies.  Understand how economic decisions on people, communities and nations.  Understand how people seek and have sought economic growth through business, enterprise and innovation.

Te Hikoi takes a look at one of the most controversial, but vital primary industries in New Zealand history – whaling, with vivid displays depicting the harsh nature of the weather and the bravado of early whalers.

Riverton’s unique coastline and geology has been the subject of a number of significant national and international studies on rock formation and carbon dating. Many examples of fossilised and ancient rock are present in the museum, while visiting geologists are often on site providing informative talks and seminars suited to a general audience. The museum also organises regular field trips for those interested in rocks.

Maori form the basis of the region’s human history – settling here many years before European incursion and utilising the many natural resources found in or near the ocean for sustenance. From the displays, students can learn about hunting and gathering and mutton birding, as well as the pre-European way of life in this historical setting.

As much as students can appreciate the technique and style of some of New Zealand’s greatest artists – the paintings on display at Te Hikoi hold more than just aesthetic appeal. They document history, through ornate brushstrokes and colour, students can picture the struggles, triumphs, tragedies and characters of colonial New Zealand.