South Island Levels Up With Toi Māori-Inspired Arcade Art At Tūhura

If you were a kid in Aotearoa during the ‘80s or ‘90s, the glow of a spacies machine at the local dairy or fish and chip shop was the stuff of magic. Now, that magic is being reimagined through the lens of contemporary design and te ao Māori in Arca Arcade: Round One, a striking new exhibition opening at Tūhura Otago Museum this Friday.

The exhibition, making its South Island debut, transforms nostalgic arcade cabinets into fully playable works of art. Created by Wellington-based designer Preston McNeil, Arca Arcade is a bold fusion of industrial design, retro technology, and cultural storytelling. The exhibition features custom-built, wall-mounted machines adorned with original artwork from some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most iconic contemporary artists including Gina Kiel, Flox, Otis Frizzell, Joe Sheehan, and Otis Chamberlain.

What makes Arca Arcade truly groundbreaking is its integration of carved pounamu and whakairo-inspired design elements believed to be a world-first in arcade machine design. The result is a powerful collision of classic video game culture with te ao Māori, a celebration of play that’s deeply rooted in place and identity.

Exhibition creator Preston McNeil has spent years exploring the intersection of technology, creativity, and nostalgia. A lifelong tinkerer and designer, McNeil said he wanted to create something that honoured both the history of arcade gaming and the richness of contemporary Aotearoa art. “These machines are a love letter to every kid who dropped their last 20 cents into a game they knew they couldn’t win but tried anyway,” McNeil said. “Blending those memories with the depth and craft of Māori design has created something I never imagined I’d be able to build. And it’s amazing to finally bring it to the South Island.”

The exhibition’s arrival in Dunedin is no accident. Tūhura Otago Museum’s Head of Exhibitions and Design, Craig Scott, says the city is already a hub for innovation in the digital space. “Dunedin is home to incredible gaming talent and creative energy. We’re proud to partner with CODE, the Centre of Digital Excellence to present this exhibition and show young people what’s possible when design, technology, and culture collide. This is about inspiring as much as it is fun nostalgia.”

Visitors to the exhibition can play the games housed inside each uniquely designed cabinet, making it as interactive as it is artistic. But Arca Arcade is also a reflection of where design is heading towards deeper meaning, collaboration, and connection to culture.

To mark the opening, Preston McNeil will give a free public talk at the Museum on Friday night, sharing insights into the creative process, the challenges of building playable art, and how he collaborated with artists to bring each machine to life. Attendees will also get a first look at the exhibition.

Arca Arcade: Round One runs from 19 July to 21 September in the Beautiful Science Gallery. Entry is free. For anyone passionate about art, design, gaming, or what happens when the past is given a future-forward twist, this is one exhibition not to miss.

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