Queens Birthday Honours List
Betty Nelley insists her Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit is an accolade for the team at the Kauri Museum at Matakohe.
"The volunteers especially, the staff and the people who support the museum, who are worldwide really," Ms Nelley said. "It's been a tremendous journey for me and I'm absolutely humbled by this honour, but it's never been work I did on my own. We all did it together."
Her husband, Ted Mooney, has also been an important part of her being able to do her work.
Ms Nelley's MNZM was awarded for services to history and tourism, both areas she continues to work in after retiring a year ago from six years as chief executive of the Kauri Museum, where she had worked in various roles for 19 years.