A Twisted Victorian Tale was the theme of this year’s Halloween at MOTAT, the first decent Halloween event I have been to since arriving in New Zealand eleven years ago. To be fair, Halloween in not a New Zealand holiday. It’s only come into favour in recent years.
Called “Olde Hallows Eve“, the evening at MOTAT is the country’s largest Halloween event. We were amongst the estimated 6,000 costumed guests mingling with a twisted cast of famous Victorian characters like Dracula, Jack the Ripper, the Mad Hatter and much more.
MOTAT is New Zealand’s Museum of Transport and Technology, and the perfect setting for a Victorian night of terror and fun. The majority of the activities were family friendly (although often scary so not advocated for very young children). However, the scariest and sleaziest of the activities had minimum age requirements.
Honestly, Halloween at MOTAT was a treat, loaded with lots of tricks. It’s a story best told in photos.
Once upon a time, there were no happy endings.
Now you know where to find me next year on Halloween night. In the meantime, remember, MOTAT is fun for everyone, not just little kids. Most of our favourites exhibits were closed on Olde Hallows Eve. My favourite exhibit, “90° South”, is all about Sir Edmund Hillary’s Antarctic Expedition 1956–58. Hubby always makes sure we allow time to take the tram the aviation hall at MOTAT II. When the girls were just a bit younger, the tactile dome, was their favourite, allowing them to discover a path through the dark.
Did you attend Halloween at MOTAT? Do you like creepy places?
Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary ticket to this event. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Critically Endangered Takahe Bird with Chick in New Zealand
stevebethere
I enjoyed that what a fun place and a great way to celebrate and dress up, the nearest thing I did was watch an episode of Bewitched LOL, well they still show them here on satellite channel.
Rhonda Albom
LOL Steve, we only just went to satellite TV with the winter Olympics. And, oddly enough we watched our first episode of Bewitched this week.
Julie Pick
What a spooktacular event! Both of your girls looked amazing! This sounds like a lot more fun than going trick or treating, especially when your family is part of the show!
Mary {The World Is A Book}
I love how everyone is into the spirit of Halloween. The costumes are great and those exhibits are awesome especially the projection mapping display. What a great way to celebrate Halloween. I wish our museums did something close to this. This looks fun!
Molly
This looks amazing, I love all the costumes
mollyxxx
Rajlakshmi
This looks so exciting. The make up is so realistic, quite scary too.
Rhonda Albom
I agree, MOTAT did an amazing job on their characters, and many of those attending seemed to go all out as well.
[email protected]
Great photos, great costumes … what a great and fun way to spend an evening
Kim
Thank you for sharing your halloween. I was actually a mummy glued gauze to my face w/ elmer’s & water (because my spirit gum got hard), used themal underwear pants with one bandage wrapped around each shin, & tied a piece of white fabric over my shoulder to cover t-shirt with a piece of cheese cloth over it & had another piece of cheese cloth slightly over my head & wrapped around my neck.
I had made my own earrings & the head piece as I was not jsut a mummy but an Egyptan priestess
When I am able I will post it to my halloween blog (or the 13 days page if not both)
Nita
That certainly does look like a fantastic way to spend the evening. A lot of places around here hold Halloween parties but I can’t say if any come even close to that.
Adelina // Pack Me To
Looks like it was a ton of fun! Such fabulous costumes. Every year I think I’m going to get organized and have a great costume, but every year I procrastinate until it’s too late.
Rhonda Albom
Sometimes the last minute is good enough. My daughter put together most of her costume on the day, even making the hat and neck ruffle.
Cherie Reich
Looks like you had a fabulous time! Loved seeing all the pictures!
Comedy Plus
I’m not a fan of Halloween so I wouldn’t visit here. I know many love Halloween and it’s great that they have a fun place to go.
Have a fabulous day. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
Halloween is only been popular here for the past few years. However it seems to be centered around events, not trick or treating.
Oli D
What a great blog, and some amazing photos! I had such a fun time at that event…Just a pitty my iphone photos didn’t turn out!
Rhonda Albom
Sorry about your photos. My camera is great for dark. I shot some of those photos at 16000 ISO. It really was a lighting challenge.
Carmen's Chronicles
That looks like an event that would appeal to children of all ages – incredibly well done and so much fun.
My Sunday post was for my son’s 30th birthday wishes. They grow up too fast!
Rhonda Albom
It was incredibly well done, and yes, it did appeal to all ages. There really was something for everyone.
Leovi
Exquisite compositions for Halloween, love, funny and fantastic!
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Wow, what an elaborate and creative production — and yes, creepy indeed. The costumes are pretty impressive. very well thought of. It looks like a great fun. Lovely photos.
Rhonda Albom
I agree. I was impressed by the costumes of both the staff and the guests who attended. People really went all out, And this added to all the fun.
Claudya Martinez
That looks like an awesome event and I’m amazed that so many people attend. Great costumes. I think my kids would be terrified.
Rhonda Albom
The museum campus has lots of separate buildings and many places to easily hold this event. It never really felt crowded, except the queue for asylum.
SJ
That sure is not the Red Riding hood that I recall from my books… yikes!
Rhonda Albom
Some people really take us to making to the extreme, Don’t they? 🙂 Or should that be a shocked face?
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
As Americans living in Malaysia for 3 years, my kids also dearly missed a traditional Halloween celebration. It was usually up to my little group of American friends to put something together. The party was typically only about 50 people. In other words, it was nothing close to what you experienced at MOTAT. That looks like some serious fun, and people seemed to really go all out with dressing up.
Rhonda Albom
Interestingly, there were very few American accents at this Halloween event. It really appealed to a wide segment of the population. When my girls were younger, they didn’t really get an opportunity to celebrate Halloween here. This was their first real Halloween party. and we all loved it.
Laurie
Thanks for the tour. I am in the States again. Everyone I know celebrated Halloween at parties, carnival, or going house-to-house for treats. I had other plans, unfortunately. Thanks for letting me in on your fun. I got to enjoy spooky sightings vicariously via the internet.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
What an awesome event! Wow, don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. I’d attend something like that.
Rhonda Albom
Halloween is still quite new here in New Zealand. Trick-or-treating is not very popular as many people don’t like to send their kids out to ask for candy from strangers. Therefore it allows for events like this, to really capture a large segment of the population. And yes it was awesome. 🙂
Judy
What a wonderful way to celebrate Halloween.
Hilary
Hi Rhonda … great photos and costumes .. I love the ghostly wall projection. It does sound great fun – glad the girls are older and could share the horrors with you … I think we all scream at being jumped upon unexpectedly, even if it’s expected … I’m so pleased you went and were able to share with us .. cheers Hilary
Corinne
I love it. Now I know where to go when we are in Auckland at Halloween!