Unique items from the Sir Edmund Hillary collection will be on display in Wellington from Sunday as part of an exhibition honouring the great New Zealander and his climbing partner Tenzing Norgay ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Included in the collection are the boots that Hillary wore when he reached the summit of Everest on 29 May 1953 after climbing 29,028 feet of rock, snow and ice. Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay are the motivation and inspiration behind this years Commonwealth Games team. Athletes will proudly wear the 29028 mark on the team uniforms representing the height in feet of Mount Everest as reported by the BBC in 1953.
Sir Edmunds son Peter Hillary will open the exhibition this evening (Thursday 2 Sept)) alongside New Zealand Commonwealth Games Team Chef de Mission, Dave Currie.
It is wonderful the achievements of my father and Tenzing are being honoured by the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team this October and that this exhibition can help share this story, said Peter Hillary ahead of the opening.
Dave Currie says the exhibition means all New Zealanders have an opportunity to reflect on what Sir Ed achieved. Sir Eds determination, hard work, humility and sense of humour reflect what is best about our country, said Currie. Hes an inspiration to us all.
Olympic Museum Director Charles Callis is delighted to be the curator behind the Commonwealth Games exhibition. It is a great honour to work with such an important collection. When you look at the leather of the boots, the woollen socks, parka and other items you really appreciate the gruelling challenges these great men faced. Its a privilege to take the time to look at what Sir Ed and Tenzing achieved and think about the important place these men hold in New Zealand society today.
The Hillary items will also be displayed alongside Commonwealth Games memorabilia including a Goodwill Book from the people of India presented to New Zealand in 1990, the sterling silver Queens Baton from the Auckland 1990 Commonwealth Games and.the uniform New Zealand athletes will wear when they head to Delhi this October. Sir Edmunds Everest collection has been entrusted to the Olympic Museum Gallery by the Hillary family for the duration of the exhibition which runs 5 12 September 2010 (closed Saturday).
The Commonwealth Games memorabilia will remain on display until January 2011 and include items from the Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Tweet Share