Auckland Museum Director Dr. David Gaimster says, “This Museum is Auckland’s War Memorial, built by the people of Auckland to honour those who lost their lives. Pou Kanohi New Zealand at War shares that experience with the next generation, making sure the memory and lessons of the First World War, which affected so many New Zealanders, is never lost.”

An aerial reconnaissance table allows visitors to gets hands-on and undertake a mission piloting planes above the trenches. A virtual reality head-set gets visitors up close to a 3D rendered artillery gun. Collectible content enables students and visitors to explore pivotal WWI events through letters, photographs, and diaries in greater depth online, back in school or at home.

Visitors can explore the question ‘Why Go?’ and use the ‘Letters from the Front Line’ interactive to understand the hopes and fears of people as they prepared to go to war, what motivated them to fight or not, and how they felt about the daily realities of war.

The gallery features a series of short films where young Aucklanders explore and reflect on the stories of war. New specially commissioned works by Māori artists Maureen Lander, Rangi Kipa in collaboration with Bernard Makoare, and Beronia Scott enhance the space. Young adult fiction illustrator Andrew Burdan contributed bold graphic illustrations to bring the graphic events of WWI to life.

For more information see: www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/galleries/pou-kanohi-new-zealand-at-war