New galleries spotlight: Facing the Sea

This fascinating new gallery invites you to explore life on the islands of the Pacific Ocean.

The story of this unique environment and the people who live there is told through objects, photographs and interactive tools. Here you’ll uncover the phenomenal cultural diversity of the peoples of the Pacific and their relationship with the ocean, from the first islanders who arrived many thousands of years ago to those living there today.

Running around the gallery walls are large images of islands and seascapes which create a horizon line and set you in the ocean environment and atmosphere of the South Pacific. You’ll journey through themed areas to learn about Exploration, Resources and Beliefs. On your travels, you’ll hear directly from islanders about their life and the objects on display.

Facing the sea: the north coast of South Island, New Zealand.

You’ll find out the use and origins of objects used in every day life in the past and how today’s islanders follow these traditions. You can also explore the geological characteristics of the area, how they have shaped the region and the way people live, and reflect on the uncertainty of the environment posed by the threats of tsunamis, volcanic activity and rising sea levels.

Throughout the gallery there will be opportunities for you to get hands-on with interactives. In the area exploring the human settlement of the Pacific, you’ll be invited to try your hand at navigating the expansive ocean using both Pacific Island and European navigational tools. There is also an opportunity to listen to and read poetry and songs about the sea from the perspectives of both Pacific and Scottish islanders.

You’ll leave the gallery with a new knowledge of a part of the world that is very far away, and an understanding of the differences and similarities between islanders many thousand miles away and ourselves.