Living on The Edge: Hawke's Bay Earthquake, 1931

The Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery (HBMAG) are pleased to announce a new permanent exhibition Hawke’s Bay Earthquake, 1931. This spectacular new exhibition opened to the public on Saturday 16 February to coincide with Art Deco Weekend celebrations.

Created by the Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery in partnership with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council; Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management; Earthquake Commission; Geological & Nuclear Science (GNS); and the Art Deco Trust, the new exhibition combines the best of social history with the most recent scientific technologies and computer interactive displays.

The earthquake had a significant impact on both Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand society; it remains the nation’s greatest natural disaster. Extensive research by GNS scientist’s has uncovered new and more accurate information about the earthquake with lengthy debate occurring amongst seismologists, scientists and local experts on the exact epicentre of the quake. This research has been incorporated into the exhibition and also forms part of new interactive displays.

In the new exhibition visitors will experience Gaylene Preston’s exceptional documentary Survivors’ Stories alongside new geophysical and emergency disaster preparedness features, together with new touch screen interactive displays developed in partnership with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. Information accessed through the GEOSK computer allows visitors to look at data coming in from the geophysical networks - using seismographs and Global Positioning System (GPS) - operated across New Zealand by the GeoNet Project run by GNS Science.