Early birds catch museum's blessing

The crowd at the official opening of MTG Hawke's Bay, formerly the Hawke's Bay Museum and Art Gallery, yesterday morning. Photo / Duncan Brown

As dawn broke over Marine Parade in Napier yesterday morning a new era in the region's cultural, architectural, historic and artistic pride began.

A dawn ceremony of blessing was staged at the MTG (Museum Theatre Gallery) at 6am with about 400 people in attendance.

MTG marketing team leader Pam Joyce said: "It was a beautiful sight and so very appropriate.

"The building has now been blessed."

Local iwi and tangata whenua carried out a karanga, the call, before representatives moved into the new building on a journey of blessing through the many galleries.

Mayor Barbara Arnott also addressed the gathering and later took part in a waiata with staff members.

It was especially strong when the group entered the Ukaip-o tatou whakapapa exhibition.

The four remarkable pou tokomanawa which forms the heart of the local collection stood silent and proud as the blessing took place.

It was an early start for many of the exhibition design staff putting finishing touches to the displays.

Some had been working until 11pm the night before and after the blessing went straight back to work.

The blessing was the first step toward the official public opening which gets under way on Saturday at 9.30am where Mrs Arnott and the Minister for Arts and Culture Chris Finlayson will declare the doors to be open.

Members of the public will be allowed in for a short walk-through between 10.15am and 6pm, with only limited numbers allowed at any one time.

Also on hand to celebrate the opening will be Napier MP Chris Tremain and Tukituki MP Craig Foss.

"It really is fantastic," Mr Tremain said.

"It will be the new heartbeat of Hawke's Bay cultural identity. It is modern, state of the art and a contemporary take on Napier architecture complementing our Art Deco heritage."

He paid tribute to the community contributions from individuals, families and businesses which added to the funding from local and central government for the $18 million redevelopment.

Mr Tremain said the Regional Museums fund was a limited resource with demands from across the country and he and Mr Foss had lobbied hard to ensure Hawke's Bay was "one of the first in the queue".

He praised the work and complete commitment to the project of Mrs Arnott and the project team, as well as council staff and the Gemco Construction crews for wrapping up the major project on time.