Written by Jane Dennis
If you haven’t already visited the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa on the waterfront in Wellington, you’re in for a treat when you do. More than 15 million people from around the world have visited Te Papa since it opened in 1998 because there is so much to see, learn and do in New Zealand’s interactive national museum – it’s fascinating!
I’ve been to Te Papa a couple of times now and on my most recent visit I decided to check out Our Space, where you get to create your own vision of New Zealand. Send your own images from home and then use the interactive wall to share them with others. I also experienced two action-packed motion simulator rides (the High Ride and the Deep Ride), which got my heart pumping! The High Ride is a thrill a minute. Expect to be jolted about in your seat as you undertake some of our country’s extreme sports and enjoy the rush of flying, bungy jumping, free falling, sliding down grassy slopes on a mat and much more in eight (jam-packed) minutes. I had no idea how much fun the High Ride would be. I was squealing with delight – and cringing in parts! The ride is so exhilarating, it did make me feel a tad nauseous and I found myself holding on tight to the arms of my seat.
The Deep Ride is informative. Having read “more people have travelled to the moon than have explored the depths around the Brothers underwater volcano,” which is about 400 km northeast of White Island in the Bay of Plenty and the most active of New Zealand’s offshore volcanoes, it occurs to me that this ride at Te Papa is as close as I am going to get to it. The Deep Ride is an opportunity to feel what it’s like in a submarine. The deep-sea vehicle simulator travels 2,000 metres below the ocean surface to explore the Brothers underwater volcano in the Kermadec Arc. The ride is guided by scientist Dr. Cornel de Ronde and he gives a lovely commentary and explanation of our amazing underwater volcanoes to complement the real footage. I was delighted that I was able to see with my own eyes the plumes of black smoke erupting from these beasts!
As you browse though Te Papa, take time to explore one of its latest exhibitions: Formula One – The Great Design Race. Even if you’re not a fan of Formula One racing, this is a fascinating journey from the racing car designs of the1950s to the present day that also acknowledges our New Zealand greats in the sport. And don’t leave without checking out the Colossal Squid, weighing in at an amazing 495 kg and measuring 4.2 metres in length!
