Whanganui Mūmū – Whanganui by Design is an exhibition which showcases a selection of taonga and objects designed and made in the Whanganui Region, which express the past, present and future of Whanganui Design.

Located on the mezzanine level of the Whanganui museum, the exhibition focusses on the stories, the objects and the people that have long made Whanganui a mecca for design for more than two centuries. Some of these are well known and some are remembered only within families and whānau.

The L shaped exhibition exhibition begins with colourful, light-filled dividers based on a tartan pattern, encouraging visitors to slow down and experience the space. The graphic design elements have been specifically designed, in collaboration with Liquid Edge Design, taking cues from colonial, arts and crafts and modernist styles, in keeping with Whanganui’s design history. Colour inspiration has been taken from advertisements and products from Wanganui Woolen Mills advertisements from the 1950’s. The display cases have been carefully thought out, with lighting, suspended elements, and information labels coordinated to celebrate the objects.

This exhibition is selective and tells some stories but not all stories. It plays on the tension between useful and beautiful; it explores toi and mahi; innovation and process; the grassroots and the flax roots.

Whanganui Mūmū – Whanganui by Design was the winner of a Te Kahui Whaihanga NZIA 2023 Western Public Architecture award.