Tall Poppies Article on Techvana Cont…
KEY ACTIVITIES
1. Interactive Museum Tours
Techvana allows visitors to interact with vintage computers, telecommunication devices, and game consoles manufactured from the 1960s up to the present. This is the perfect opportunity to rekindle nostalgic memories and truly appreciate how far technology has progressed over the lase five decades. Techvana is now open for visits by appointment and to the public on weekends.
2. Restoration of vintage technology
Techvana regularly receives all kinds of unique and rare technology donations thanks to its wonderful supporters from all over the world. Although some items are donated in very good condition, most arrive with damaged or missing parts. Techvana fastidiously restores these items in order char they can be showcased to the public for display and use.
3. School visits
A major milestone for Techvana was our first school visit from Murrays Bay intermediate at the end of 2015. Unlike typical museum school trips, Murrays Bay students were able to participate in a variety of safe and interactive activities that were designed to teach key concepts about light, frequency, hear and sound. These activities included having students bounce soundwaves around the walls of the museum using a modified ultrasound panel, learn the basics of using a multi-meter and how it can be used co mea sure different parts of an active computer, and read each other’s thoughts through our very own ‘mind control helmet’.
They were also able to interact with a variety of the foundational technologies that lead to the computers, mobile devices and software that they use today. Thanks to the success of our first school visit, several other schools are now booking appointments through 2016. You can learn more about our school visit programme and book an appointment on our website at www.techvana.org.nz
4. Workshops
Techvana regularly hosts monthly workshops designed to help students and young professionals learn practical skills that they can use for leisure, school or business. Previous workshops have tackled topics such as basic photography, programming, and electronics. See our Facebook page for the latest updates regarding our workshops.
APPEAL FOR GIFTED CHILDREN
It was genuinely refreshing to see and hear the students’ positive reactions during our visit from Murrays Bay Intermediate. They laughed at the immense size of the ‘portable’ Mobira Talkman (one of the earliest mobile phones released to the marker), were amazed when they experienced the vibrations and heard music being transmitted through our ultrasound panel, and enjoyed trying to demonstrate their best poker faces while reading the thoughts of their peers through our mind control helmet!
lt is these emotions of curiosity, understanding, surprise and enjoyment that we seek to encourage. Each smile is a push that can lead a young New Zealander to try out new things and possibly discover talents that they didn’t know they had.
Techvana actively furthers this interest and enjoyment with workshops designed to equip participants with the skills they need to improve their talents. Through partition, they can discover new interests and join networking events that can expose young, local talent to professionals from New Zealand’s technology sector.
We at Techvana hope to become a space where creativity and innovation is celebrated, and given the credit it deserves.
CONCLUSION
Establishing a museum was definitely not an easy task. It was, and still is, a constant challenge finding supporters and sponsors, managing the huge pool of volunteers that the Barlow’s didn’t expect would be so keenly interested in helping out, organising and hosting technology events for different organisations, and ensuring that the museum has enough money to sustain its daily operations.
Amidst these challenges, it’s hard to deny the significant amount of progress Techvana has achieved in the past year. This is largely due to our wonderful supporters and dedicated team of student volunteers and employees who generously share their talents and expertise in order to help the museum become a more engaging experience for everyone.
In time, we hope to be able to have a lasting impact on New Zealand’s technology sector and provide a space where young New Zealanders are encouraged to be creative and pursue their passions.
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