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Your chance to be a Rescue hero at NPDC’s Puke Ariki

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PUBLISHED: 11 NOV 2025
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Puke Ariki Museum’s summer exhibition plunges kids into high-stakes scenarios from smoke-filled rooms and rescue helicopters to emergency broadcasts, where they will race against time to save lives on land, at sea, and in the air.

Rescue opens on 15 of November in the museum’s Temporary Gallery and gives children insight into what it takes to be a hero by helping others. Visitors can learn how rescue technology works, and the skills and experience needed to be a rescuer.

Puke Ariki Museum Director Frith Williams says her team have worked closely with exhibition provider Scitech to bring this hands-on exhibition to Taranaki.

“As well as providing a highly interactive exhibition for summer visitors, we want to inspire empathy, problem-solving, and participation in our young people,” Frith says.

Puke Ariki Curator Glenn Martin says 17 interactive exhibits will offer something for everyone. “They include a helicopter that visitors can climb inside, and rescue equipment like the Jaws of Life.”

“The nature of rescue is that it’s a very human endeavour, so this exhibition focuses on the personal aspect of rescuing people as well as revealing the technology and equipment that supports the process,” Scitech Science Communicator, Rachael Hughes explains.

The exhibition runs through the Summer and Easter holidays until April 2026, and includes a lineup of Rescue-focused programming. First up on opening day is a session with firefighters, to teach tamariki how to put out a fire in their room, with more events to be announced.

Find out more about Rescue on Puke Ariki’s website.

Fast Facts

  • Puke Ariki, meaning Hill of Chiefs, stands on a former prominent pā site in central New Plymouth.
  • It opened in 2003 as a combined library and museum – an innovative storehouse for Taranaki’s taonga and stories.
  • The museum presents both long-term and regularly changing exhibitions across six gallery spaces.
  • The central and community libraries offer many events designed to foster a love of reading, learning and connection.
  • Puke Ariki also houses a research centre, restaurant and café, and the district’s i-SITE visitor information and ticketing hub.

Caption: Puke Ariki’s summer blockbuster exhibition invites kids to discover if they’ve got what it takes to be a hero. Photo: Natalija Brunovs.

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Page last updated: 10:13am Tue 11 November 2025

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