Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Shopping
25
River Traders Market
C3
Sights & Activities
Whanganui Regional Museum
MUSEUM
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.wrm.org.nz
; Watt St, Queens Park; 10am-4.30pm)
The Whanganui Regional
Museum is one of NZ's better natural-history museums. Maori exhibits include the
carved Te Mata o Hoturoa war canoe and some vicious-looking
mere
(greenstone clubs).
The colonial and wildlife installations are first rate, and there's plenty of button-pushing
and drawer-opening to keep the kids engaged.
Sarjeant Gallery
GALLERY
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
( 06-349 0506;
www.sarjeant.org.nz
;
Queens Park; 10.30am-4.30pm)
About to
temporarily relocate for earthquake-proofing when we visited, the elegant neoclassical
Sarjeant Gallery covers the bases from historic to contemporary with its extensive per-
manent art exhibition and frequent special exhibits (including glass from the annual
Wanganui Festival of Glass). Call or check the website to find out if the renovations are
complete: if not, you can see selected works in gallery spaces above the i-SITE and
nearby at 38 Taupo Quay.
Whanganui Riverboat Centre
MUSEUM
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.riverboats.co.nz
;
1a Taupo Quay; 10am-4pm)
The historical displays are inter-
esting, but everyone's here for the
Waimarie
, the last of the Whanganui River paddle
steamers. In 1900 she was shipped from England and paddled the Whanganui until she
sank ingloriously at her mooring in 1952. Submerged for 41 years, she was finally raised,
restored, then relaunched on the first day of the 21st century. She now offers two-hour
tours along the Whanganui.
