sharing the past - Auckland Museum

Sharing the Past
Many of the birds stuffed in the 1930s and 40s
are still in excellent condition and on display in
the latest natural history galleries. Rajah the elephant
was one Dover's most demanding projects and
is still to be seen lurking in the Wild Child Gallery.
Many past presidents of the Museum Council,
enthusiasts in different disciplines, left interesting
bequests to the Museum. Some to the library,
including an important collection of negatives, as
5 Teacher Background
Auckland Museum
Te Papa Whakahiku
Rajah the elephant at the Auckland Zoo. Unfortunately the creature's uncertain temperament made him unsuitable to
take children for rides. When he became too dangerous for the keepers to handle it was thought best to put him down.
Dover is placing the prepared skin over a framework
teacher background
well as generous endowment of funds. Others
added to the general collections such as a kauri
gum collection, a huge 2000 piece ethnographical
collection, and notably magnificent Maori
carvings from H.E.Vaile.
People often ask how Museum artefacts are
obtained. The following chapters detail the history of
some of our more well-known or interesting collections
and the methods used to preserve and display these.
Pupils from Auckland Boys Grammar School are amazed
at the size of Rajah's rib-case.