Located in the capital city of Wellington, the National Museum of New Zealand — also known as Te Papa Tongarewa, Maori for “container of treasures” — is one of the most stunning and user-friendly museums I’ve ever experienced. One of my favorite exhibits is the 46-foot-long map of New Zealand on the floor in the OurSpace section. When you step on various parts of the map, images from that part of the country pop up on large wall display screens.
Stepping on the same trigger point (there are 27 of them) causes different images and videos to flash on the wall, illustrating some aspect of the region’s geography or culture. When I stepped on the Central Plateau, I saw volcanoes erupting. As I walked the fault line running through the country, I envisioned an earthquake splitting the earth and swallowing me. Wellington’s trigger produced an image of a great beehive, fitting for the busy capital. Stepping on the sea surrounding the island nation revealed how deep those waters go. In short: very deep. It’s enough to generate a mild form of vertigo.
The experience made me feel a bit like Tom Hanks in the movie Big as I danced about, creating images rather than music. I had to be dragged away so I wouldn’t miss the rest of the museum.
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FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
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