Waikato Museum
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The Waikato Museum is situated in Hamilton, New Zealand. Previously called the Waikato Museum of Art and History, the full name has been surreptitiously shortened in recent years due to the incorporation of the Exscite Science centre, and the emphasis on Tangata Whenua or Maori Studies. Its current address is 1 Grantham Street, in the south end of the main CBD of Hamilton, where it has been based since 1987. It sits on land gifted to the Hamilton City Council by the Tanui Tribe, and there is a strong Tanui presence in the Museum. Previously the Museum was based in London street.
Much controversy has surrounded the Museum, from it's inception in 1987, to its continued move towards the new museology of edutainment and interactive exhibits. Presently there is a fine balance between Art Exhibits, Social History Installations, Tangata Whenua Stories and Science Interactives.
