Enter the orbit of Our Moon

An out-of-this-world exhibition about the moon is landing at Canterbury Museum this weekend.

On tour from Nelson Provincial Museum, Our Moon: Then, Now and Beyond explores the past, present and future of our nearest celestial body.

It’s a hands-on exhibition that will help entertain Canterbury children during the upcoming school holidays.

Its centrepiece is the installation MOON by British artist Luke Jerram, a 4-metre-diameter glowing orb printed with high-definition imagery of the moon’s surface.

The exhibition covers early attempts to uncover the moon’s secrets through astronomy and the space race that led to humans standing on the moon for the first time in 1969. Visitors can relive the moon landing from the comfort of a replica 1960s living room or role play a rocket launch.

They can also use a tellurion instrument to learn about the moon’s orbit, become familiar with the Maramataka: the Māori lunar calendar with modern applications, or explore the potential of New Zealand’s space economy.

Christchurch artist Hannah Beehre’s Tunnel (2018), an artwork using painted velvet and a mirrored floor to create the experience of walking through space, will return to the Museum as part of the exhibition. This installation was very popular with visitors when it debuted in the Museum as part of the SCAPE Public Art Season 2018.

Museum Acting Public Engagement Manager Neil Phillips says he expects the Our Moon to be a success with Canterbury families.

“We know many parents look for indoor activities for their kids during winter. Our Moon will be perfect for keeping young brains busy on those wet winter days. I hope Canterbury families take ‘one small step’ of their own to visit their Museum.”

Our Moon: Then, Now and Beyond opens this Saturday at Canterbury Museum and runs until 8 November.

The exhibition is presented by Nelson Provincial Museum in partnership with Rātā Foundation, Cawthron Institute and the Embassy of the United States of America.