Friday, June 18, 2010

Auckland (War Memorial) Museum's blog

The museum seems to still want to move away from its roots and origins, so it would appear. They've launched a blog and nowhere does it refer to those two words in the brackets. Their copyright notice says "Auckland Museum" but their website does mention those words on the home page. Small lettering. Top left, on the links bar. And here, on their war memorial page.

I'll be visiting the museum tomorrow, hopefully. I felt somewhat disheartened last time I saw it, this past summer. It seemed to have lost its cool vibe. I'm hoping some of that has started to return.

3 comments:

  1. Hmm, Can't figure if it's short-hand speak or that they're not acknowledging the origins of the museum.
    I must admit when I first came across their site ages ago it was you who corrected the title I'd given it as the words "war memorial" weren't obvious even then.

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  2. Well, I as one who works there, still use Auckland War Memorial Museum whenever I have to state the name of our institution :-). I'm not alone in that.

    Hope you enjoy your visit Lisa... the Museum has had its trials and tribulations the last few years but hopefully we're in a new era now! There are a lot of passionate staff there! Shame i don't work Saturday's [NOTTTT LOL!] i'd have met up for a cuppa coffee!

    The blog is being used to compliment what is happening within the museum, it helps to demystify the museum world and like most institutions trying to branch out to wider communities, the internet is a vital tool in doing this. We're on twitter also ;-) keep an eye out...you might see me there one day working on some of our fabulous collections! :D

    I understand where you are coming from though.

    Cheers!

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  3. Thanks, Ro and Sandy. Yeah, it's probably just shorthand on the museum's part. Just a pity they didn't put the full name somewhere on their blog design, though.

    When I (briefly) visited that Te Papa museum in Wellington, I recall on my first vist to our Auckland one immediately after -- wanting to hug the place, metaphorically. It just seemed so much cooler to go to and experience after the near-sterility of Te Papa, in my view. And I told Auckland's staff that, by oath I did! I like our museum. A lot.

    But this last summer ...

    I'll see what the vibes are today. I need to go to the library to check on access to a couple of images, might have lunch there, see what's what. I'd love to share a cuppa time with you sometime, Sandy! If you've got some free time during a week day, let me know. That would be great.

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