Story time treats at Whanganui Regional Museum these school holidays

Whanganui Regional Museum public programmes presenter Lisa Reweti presenting storytime with help from Felix Gruebsch as superhero Maui. Photo / Liz Wylie

Children visiting the Whanganui Regional Museum this week have been enjoying story time with Lisa Reweti.

Learning about the exploits of superhero Māui in the Rangi Wills room was an entertaining experience as Reweti threw in the occasional "waddup" and "yeah bro" to contemporise the legendary tales.

After she told each tale, she asked the children to help her re-enact them by playing the parts of Māui, his brothers and the fish Te Ika a Māui.

Using items from the museum collection as her props, Reweti related the stories of how the intrepid adventurer fished up the North Island and how the birds of Aotearoa got their unique characteristics.

For older story lovers, the museum is running a Spring Lecture Series, with a lecture on Thursday evening "Guided by Stars - Wayfinding of our Ancestors".

Museum kaitiaki taonga Māori and kaiwhakaako Māori Āwhina Twomey will dispel the myths and reveal the truths about Pacific voyaging at the Davis Theatre in Watt St from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

Next Thursday Lee Rauhina-August from Niwa will present Tuna and Piharau which outlines the issues facing New Zealand's culturally significant tuna (eel) and piharau (lamprey) species and the importance of restoring their freshwater habitat.

And the following week museum collection manager Trish Nugent-Lyne will present A Nice Day for a Wedding, showcasing the wonderful wedding dresses in the collection and discuss how they contribute to our knowledge of cultural and family history in Whanganui.

Story time at the Museum is on at 1.30pm every day until Friday. Entry is free and booking is not essential.