A very rare and special gift was delivered to the museum recently, inside a regular shopping bag. It had been “found” at Morison’s Bush in 1913 in circumstances which are now lost in time.
The donor, Sandy Urwin nee Hayman, grew up in Martinborough and was very keen that it should come to our museum, much to Te Papa’s disappointment. Luckily for us (although less so for the creature) it was taxidermied and kept safe under a glass dome, on a high shelf, at her grandparents’ home on Puruatanga Road.
But what is this mystery object ? We can’t let the “cat” out of the bag yet as it is still being prepared for display but you will be able to read all about it in the next edition of The Star. Or even better, you will be able to visit the museum to see the real thing. Watch this space…
