Te Puawānanga Science and Technology Centre wins International Exhibition of the Year

Congratulations MOTAT Team - Te Puawānanga Science and Technology Centre has won International Exhibition of the Year at the prestigious Museums + Heritage Awards in London – the museum-world equivalent of scooping an Oscar!

Simon Gould, Head of Exhibitions, receiving the award at the ceremony, and he did MOTAT proud.

The judges said: “This outstanding exhibition seamlessly blends science and Māori culture, creating a vibrant, culturally connected space for young audiences. With impressive visitor impact and strong evaluation outcomes, it sets a new benchmark for inclusive, engaging STEAM experiences. This is the second year in a row MOTAT has won a Museums + Heritage international award. In 2024, Aviation Hall immersive experience Te Kōtiu, a multimedia projection telling the Aotearoa New Zealand story of flight, won the Best Use of Digital – International category, getting the nod ahead of Notre-Dame de Paris and Trinity College, Dublin.”

On behalf of the Executive Leadership Team, I would like to thanks everyone who was involved in the redevelopment of building 5, as well as everybody who works in Te Puawānanga now, bringing it to life everyday for MOTAT visitors. The award is recognition of all the work on the building (remember how it used to leak!), the design of the exhibition, the interior fit-out and the planning and delivery of the experiences now it is open. 

The award is also a testament to the way the MOTAT team is maintaining and cleaning the space now; our colleagues who came today who haven't seen it since it opened, said that it still looks as good as it did on the day it opened! 

For those able to access InfoHub, there is a full post about this award.

And the celebrations continue, as we will celebrate one year of Te Puawānanga Science and Technology Centre on 24-25 May during NZtechweek with Sports Tech.

Ngā mihi, Nui

Sally Manuireva