Photo: CC BY NC ND Te Papa (S.044281)
Join us for a special day dedicated to the magnificent moa!
Tūhura Otago Museum is home to an internationally renowned moa collection, attracting researchers from around the world who look to us for insights into this incredible ancient giant. As part of the Wild Dunedin – NZ Festival of Nature, we're celebrating the mighty moa with a day full of discovery, creativity, and a children's concert with Anika Moa!
Whether you're a nature enthusiast or a curious explorer, there's something for everyone! Our Collections team will be in the Southern Land, Southern People Gallery, offering hands-on learning with real moa bones and interactive activities—including a chance to see an authentic moa footprint up close.
Get creative in our Makerspace, where you can make a moa designed by artist Glenn Jones, or sharpen your artistic skills in our drawing workshop, where you'll learn how to sketch anatomically accurate moa.
Be among the first to watch our brand-new film, The Mystery of the Giant Birds, featuring contributions from our very own Natural Science team.
Plus, enjoy guided tours, fun crafts, a roving moa character, and exclusive insights from the Collections team into the process of collecting our Kyeburn moa footprints.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to step back in time and connect with New Zealand’s prehistoric past!
Schedule:
Anika Moa’s Wild Concert | Beautiful Science Gallery | 10.30am | $3 Koha
Mighty Moa Hunt Gallery Trail | Collect from Information Desk | All Day | Free
The Mystery of the Giant Birds Screening | Perpetual Guardian Planetarium | 10.30am and 1.30pm | $10
Makerspace | Atrium Level 1 | 10am – 4pm | Free
Moa Drawing Workshop | Barclay Theatre | 11am | Free
Get to Know Our Moa With the Tūhura Natural Science Team | Southern Land, Southern People Gallery | 11am – 2pm | Free
Secrets of the Past Talk: How Aotearoa New Zealand’s Geological Record Has Influenced Our Plants, Animals, and People | Barclay Theatre | 12pm | Free
Kyeburn Moa Footprints Talk | Barclay Theatre | 1pm | Free
Eyes in the Lives of Penguins Talk | Barclay Theatre | 2pm | Free
Pyramids, Plants and Penguins Talk | Barclay Theatre | 3pm | Free
When: 10.30am – 4pm, Tuesday 15 April
Where: Tūhura Otago Museum
Cost: Free
