Te Papa to Berlin
The making of two museums
$33.03
- Paperback
280 pages
- Release Date
1 July 2026
Summary
Ken Gorbey is a remarkable man who for 15 years was involved with developing and realising the revolutionary cultural concept that became Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand. Then in 1999 he was headhunted by W. Michael Blumenthal to salvage the Jewish Museum Berlin, which was failing and fast becoming a national embarrassment. Led by Gorbey, a young, inexperienced staff, facing impossible deadlines, rose to the challenge and the museum, housed in Daniel Libeskind’s lightning-bolt design,…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781988592374 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1988592372 |
| Author: | Ken Gorbey |
| Publisher: | Otago University Press |
| Imprint: | Otago University Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 280 |
| Release Date: | 1 July 2026 |
| Weight: | 450g |
| Dimensions: | 150mm x 230mm |
You Can Find This Book In
Critics Review
The early Te Papa chaps are gold: revealing accounts of the behind-the-scenes machinations at the national museum that are hitherto undocumented … The chapters on the JMB and Berlin provide one of the best accounts I have read of creating a museum from the inside. - Conal McCarthy, Director of the Museum & Heritage Studies programme, Victoria University of Wellington; Ken Gorbey is an exceptional figure in the museum world and his role in the creation of Te Papa, a ground-breaking world-class institution, cannot be overestimated. - Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Professor Emerita of Performance Studies at New York University, creator of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw ; Te Papa to Berlin is a story of learning, adaptation, great accomplishment and personal growth. It is, too, a story of leadership, relevant and instructive for anyone called on to help manage an important enterprise in unfamiliar surroundings. - W. Michael (Mike) Blumenthal, founding director of the Jewish Museum Berlin, former United States Secretary of the Treasury, retired CEO of Unisys Corp
Ken Gorbey
Ken Gorbey was the director of Waikato Museum 1969-83, then played many roles in founding Te Papa. He was Project Director and Deputy President of the Jewish Museum Berlin 1999-2002. Since 1984 he has run his own consultancy, working around the world on museum, cultural and tourism projects. Ken Gorbey lives in Wellington.
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.