Local history provides the foundations of culture and identity within communities. It imparts us with knowledge to understand our past, learn from mistakes, and recognise the aspects that make our communities unique. Historical change is generated by countless individuals; everyone contributes to the ongoing story of a community and its social impact. Local history helps […]
Digitisation can help bring cultural heritage items into the public realm, allowing them to have a greater impact on a wider section of society. Over the last decade, an increasing number of organisations and institutions have embraced digital technology to better preserve their collections, and even allow online public access to their most fragile items. […]
The digital world is becoming ever more ingrained in our daily lives, transforming the way we communicate, learn, and think. The need for online access to collections is growing, especially within the cultural heritage sector, and more recently within local government and private companies as well. Through digitisation, researchers and historians are finding new and […]
GNS Science, a New Zealand Crown Research Institute, is the leading provider of research and consultancy services surrounding geology, geophysics, and nuclear science. NZMS’s Wellington team recently received some fascinating work from GNS who requested digitisation of their unique and valuable collection of historical magnetograms. These magnetograms date from 1916 to 1991, and our team […]
At the mouth of the Waitematā Harbour in Devonport lies Torpedo Bay — a site of remarkable historical significance. Since 1880, it has been continuously occupied by New Zealand military forces, once even being the site of a torpedo station that made up Auckland’s coastal defence network. While it is still the most substantial and […]
Slides are imbued with nostalgia; people born before 2000 will likely have fond memories of sitting in a friend or relatives living room watching slide after slide, projected onto a white screen or wall, depicting family holidays, birthday parties, and other significant events. “For sparkling pictures big as life…Kodak 35mm colour slides… Your living room […]
Two rare legal documents, dating back to 1813 and 1873, were recently digitised at the Christchurch NZMS office. Both relate to High Court matters in 19th Century England and provide a fascinating glimpse into the manner of legal proceedings at that time.
Cultural heritage collections provide invaluable information relating to our past and it is essential that institutions carefully consider how to protect them. Preventative conservation (correct storage, archival packaging, and proper handling) helps insure the longevity of these precious materials – but what measures should be taken to protect collections in the event of a disaster?