Isobel Duncan, born in Whanganui in 1877, owned this blouse.

Made from fine cotton muslin, this 1840s walking dress is entirely hand-sewn.

This glamourous evening gown from the 1930s was owned by Jean Lambert. Her stylish wardrobe included evening gowns, jackets and coats, shawls, and muffs from the 1920s to the 1940s.

Utterly unique and exquisitely beautiful, huia were considered tapu (sacred, restricted) by Māori. The closest living cousins to Huia today are the kōkako and the tieke (saddleback).

This simple yet stunning evening dress is the epitome of 1930s style. Though the lines are simple, the overall effect is one of complete sinuous femininity.

The tekoteko known as Hāmama displays unique Whanganui-style features: the notched knees imitate an action by Whanganui tūpuna when standing on waka, and big bulbous eyes, five fingers and holding the tongue are further design techniques that confirm Whanganui provenance.

This delicate dress, made from fine cotton lawn, was worn by the New Zealand poet Eileen Duggan (1894-1972).

The kupu (word) taniwhā does not come from the Whanganui rohe (area). Whanganui iwi use the kupu “kaitiaki” for the mythical creatures that guard our waterways.

By 1929, there were only 1.5 million people in New Zealand, yet we were purchasing around three million tins of Edmonds Baking Powder per year!