Frilled mop hats and aprons or baker boy caps and waistcoats couldn’t be further from the dress code for modern students. but these are exactly what pupils wear when they attend the Western Bay Museum’s school room experience.

Dressing in Victorian costumes and sitting on the floor in front of a ‘school marm’, also in period costume, is all part of making history come alive at the new museum that opened in Katikati in August.

“The children love the experience, especially the hands-on activities which include churning butter in the dairy and then spreading it on scones they make on the coal range,” says museum manager and curator Paula Gaelic.

Also popular is marching in time to music played on a gramophone and old-fashioned games like egg and spoon and sack races, skipping and more, which align with the current exhibition ‘Fun & Games’. These activities are held in the Seeka Interactive Exhibition Space, which is also available for use by community groups.

“For group bookings there’s complementary scones made on the coal range. The museum provides fascination and learning for the children and a walk through memory lane for mature visitors,” says Paula.

Fun & Games

The museum in the former Katikati Fire station building in the heart of the town, opened with the first of its regularly-changing exhibitions in the Taylor Brothers Transport Ltd Exhibition Gallery, called ‘Fun & Games’. This focuses on social events, sport, leisure and fun and games enjoyed by the region’s early settlers and runs until mid-December when it will be replaced by a summer harvest-themed exhibition.

Through regularly changing exhibitions, the museum tells the story of the Western Bay region from pre-Maori times to the current day. Items not on display are housed in a facility provided by Aongatete Coolstores’ which is also the sponsor for the ‘Fun & Games’ exhibition.

Girls in mop hat and boys in capos pay attention to the school marm in the Western Bay Museum’s school room.

The only permanent display is the Taonga Maori & The Samuel Middlebrook Collection. In his long association with Katikati, Samuel Middlebrook acquired a fine collection of Taonga Maori, mostly as payment for translating documents in cases before the Maori Land Court. The collection contains items such as: stone toki, kete and poi, moa bone, and patu.

Pioneer picnic

On Sunday, November 6, the museum is hosting a pioneer picnic on the adjacent reserve alongside the Uretara Stream. “The Katikati Brass Band will play, there will be kite flying, and old-fashioned games and races for children and adults, plus the Tauranga Vintage Tractor and Machinery Club will be there with vintage cars. It will be a fun and free family day out,” says Paula. Bring a rug and picnic lunch.

The Western Bay Museum in Katikati’s main street, is open from 10am-4pm daily. Admission is adults $5 and children under 15 cost $2.

Tell us your memories associated with this device and be in to win admission to the Western Bay Museum in Katikati.

To win admission for two to the museum, send us your stories about this Burman men’s grooming device. It’s on display at the museum and has sparked lots of memories among visitors so we’d love to read yours.

Send your entry to elaine@thesun.co.nz with ‘Mystery item’ in the subject line, or post to Mystery Item, Coast & Country News, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110 to arrive no later than November 19.