Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dunedin
New Zealand
.jpg) | |
 | |
| Established | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Location | 61 Royal Terrace Dunedin New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 45°51′54″S 170°30′14″E / 45.865°S 170.504°E |
| Type | Natural history museum |
| Collections | Natural history, ethnography, art, paranormal |
| Curator | Bruce Mahalski |
| Nearest parking | On street |
| Website | royaldunedinmuseum |
The Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery is a private museum of bones, bone art, ethnographic artifacts, and assorted curios in Dunedin, New Zealand. Created by mural artist and sculptor Bruce Mahalski, in his Royal Terrace residence, it opened to the public in March 2018.
.jpg)
Mahalski had worked as an artist and illustrator for many years, and taught art in Wellington, New Zealand, from 2004 to 2017.[1] Part of his art practice involved creating works from animal bones, reflecting his lifetime fascination with natural history.[1][2] As a teenager, Mahalski worked as an unofficial intern at the Otago Museum, and opening his own museum had been a lifelong dream: "I wanted to work in museums when I was young, But I guess I’m not much of a team player, so it seemed easiest…just to try and set up my own."[2][3]
Mahalski had been collecting shells, bones, crabs, and insects since the age of eight.[4] His collection of natural history curiosities and cultural objects, incorporating collections of both his parents (his father was a physician and his mother a psychologist), incorporated specimens found in nature, and objects acquired on his travels and from Trade Me.[2][4]
In 2017, Mahalski moved back to his home town of Dunedin, and turned four rooms and the hall of his central city residence at 61 Royal Terrace into exhibition galleries, while continuing to live in the remainder of the house.[1][2][5] The Museum of Natural Mystery opened to the public on 23 March 2018, initially only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.[5] From the outside the museum resembles an ordinary Dunedin villa, but is decorated with the rongorongo script of Easter Island.[2]
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
