The Papakura and Districts Historical Society (PDHS) and Papakura Local Board have officially opened a new military gallery at Papakura Museum.
The first exhibition is in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the First World War.
As We Saw It: Letters to and from the Front, WWI runs throughout the First World War Centenary and showcases letters written during the war by local soldiers who left home to serve with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
The new exhibition space was made possible with $250,000 funding from Papakura Local Board.
Board member Brent Catchpole is a longstanding supporter of the project and says it’s great to see it come to life.
“The upgrades include a new exhibition space, manager’s office, movie room and storage space,” he says.
And with this exhibition younger generations can experience first-hand the many different faces of war and what it meant on a personal level.”
Board member Katrina Winn says, “As well as soldiers’ letters, photographs, personal memorabilia and military items, the exhibition has powerful letters from their loved ones on the home front.”
The Papakura Museum is founded and run by the PDHS with operational funding provided by the local board.
