Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Video | Business Headlines | Internet | Science | Scientific Ethics | Technology | Search

 

Te Papa’s fish and spirit collections closed for quake work

Te Papa’s fish and spirit collections closed for quake work

The National Fish Collection and the natural history spirit collections held by Te Papa at its Tory Street research facility have been closed temporarily while the building undergoes earthquake strengthening.

Containing one of the most comprehensive libraries of marine specimens in the Southern Hemisphere, the purpose-built facility is home to more than 240,000 specimens of fish and other marine animals, from microscopic molluscs to an enormous great white shark.

They are known as the Spirit Collections, as specimens are stored in jars and tanks of preserving spirits.

Te Papa spokesperson Kate Camp said the museum was taking a very conservative approach.

“The research facility wasn’t damaged in the November earthquake, but routine seismic checks have found that it doesn’t meet the high standard required for buildings that house national collections,” says Ms Camp.

“Te Papa is taking a precautionary approach and closing the spirit collections to staff and external researchers.”

Ms Camp said that the closure only applied the single storey where the spirit collections were held. Other floors of the building and other buildings on the same site were not affected. The collections are not normally open to the public.

Ms Camp said the museum regretted the inconvenience to the research community which uses the facility, including Te Papa’s own staff, who last year published the landmark four-volume reference book The Fishes of New Zealand, winner of the 2016 Whitley Medal for outstanding publication in Australasian zoology.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“This is an important area of research and a team that has achieved some incredible milestones. We look forward to having their facility returned to use as soon as possible,” Ms Camp said.

The timeline for completing the works and re-opening the facility is yet to be determined, as further engineering assessments and planning needs to be done, but it is expected to re-open before the end of the year.

Ends…

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Business Headlines | Sci-Tech Headlines

 
GenPro: General Practices Begin Issuing Clause 14 Notices

GenPro has been copied into a rising number of Clause 14 notices issued since the NZNO lodged its Primary Practice Pay Equity Claim against General Practice employers in December 2023.More

SPADA: Screen Industry Unites For Streaming Platform Regulation & Intellectual Property Protections

In an unprecedented international collaboration, representatives of screen producing organisations from around the world have released a joint statement.More

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.