Whanganui Regional Museum is proud to announce the opening of Our Places of Worship, a captivating photographic journey through the diverse churches and places of worship that have shaped the wider Whanganui region. The exhibition combines print and digital photography captured in 2024.

The exhibition is the result of a major collaborative effort between the Whanganui Camera Club and the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust. Featuring the work of 24 talented club photographers, the project documents 70 sites of architectural significance, with over 2,000 digital images. The images have been archived in the Alexander Heritage & Research Library/Te Rerenga mai o te Kāuru. Of these, 40 carefully selected prints are on display, alongside a digital display of around 200 images.

The original print exhibition unveiled last year at Whanganui Arts Centre was curated by Andrew Clifford (Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery), Bruce Dickson and Denis McGowan (local architects and members of the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust), and Beverley Sinclair and John Smart from the Whanganui Camera Club. The current presentation at the Museum has been curated by Maeve Egan, Kaihāpai Taonga/Curator at the Whanganui Regional Museum.

‘This exhibition honours not just the buildings, but the stories and communities behind them,’ says Egan. ‘It’s an evocative tribute to the region’s spiritual heritage, captured through the eyes of passionate local photographers. We’re thrilled to offer visitors a chance to experience these spaces in a new light.’

Our Places of Worship is now open daily from 10am to 4.30pm until September 16, at the Whanganui Regional Museum, located in Pukenamu Queens Park on Watt Street. Entry is free, with koha (donations) gratefully accepted to support the Museum’s work.

Exhibition details

Our Places of Worship
Whanganui Regional Museum, Pukenamu Queen’s Park, Watt Street
Open daily 10am-4.30pm (closed Good Friday and Christmas Day)
Admission: Free (koha welcome)