Waikato Museum Wins National Colour Award

Waikato Museum was announced as a winner in the Resene Total Colour Awards
during a function in Wellington last night.

Waikato Museum scooped the top award – which included a trophy and $1000 in
prize money – in the Display & Product category for its use of colour during the
‘Hatching the Past: Dinosaur Eggs + Babies’ exhibition. The exhibition was toured by
Gondwana Studios and exhibited at Waikato Museum from September 2010 to
February 2011.

Eleven Resene colours were used in the exhibition space for Hatching the Past, from a
‘dirty’ neutral, through to spicy warm tones, swampy greens and a mellow minx. The
selection aimed to make the space dramatic, yet friendly and inviting for a family
audience. Colour was also used to clearly define the exhibition spaces for visitors –
with a jagged line (resembling a cracked eggshell) spanning the perimeter of the gallery
and dinosaur silhouettes featuring on the walls.

Waikato Museum Director Kate Vusoniwailala said the award is a testament to the
creative talent of Museum staff, particularly that of exhibition designer Steph Chalmers.
“Steph was responsible for the interior design and colour selection of Hatching the Past.
She did an amazing job of bringing the exhibition space to life through her bold and
dramatic use of colour,” she said.

“In fact Gondwana Studios told us at the time that our presentation of this major
international touring show was the best they had ever seen.”

Over 100 entries were received for this year’s Resene Total Colour Awards, with awards
presented in nine categories as well as a ‘Colour Master – Nightingale Award’ for the
best overall use of colour.