Forget the old image of museums being dry and dusty; leading museums are increasingly using their collections for inspiration, learning and the enrichment of their communities.  The Whanganui Regional Museum has been working on a project to share the stories of Whanganui and our place in the world.  And there is never just one story; we all see the world differently and this project will tell the different perspectives of what made us who we are today.  It is a challenging project and one that captured the imagination of the Foundation.  Trustees saw the potential to add richness and depth to our community and encourage new understanding.   The bridge building that comes from being able to see another’s way of looking at the world was important to the trustees in coming to their decision.

The first stage of the project will be an exhibition featuring the Partington collection of photographs of people from the Whanganui River.  It will use a variety of modern techniques to tell the stories behind the photographs.  It promises to be visually stunning as well as deep.  Subsequent stages will tell many of the other stories that go to make our community what it is today.  The Foundation is happy to be able to provide funding for this very important project.