The Tūhura Otago Museum board chairman and University of Otago physics professor will attempt to swim across the cold and unpredictable waters of Cook Strait on Monday, in a bid to raise money for a much-needed new fire sprinkler system at Tūhura Otago Museum. One of the most urgent needs at present is the installation of further fire sprinklers to protect the museum"s "irreplaceable collections". "Swimming the Cook Strait felt like something I could do to highlight the circumstances in which the Museum Trust finds itself. David Hutchinson waves to one of the Broad Bay locals while training for his swim across one of the world’s toughest stretches of open water, Cook Strait, next week. "These collections belong not just to Otago, but to all of Aotearoa, and our duty of care for these taoka is paramount."

Source: Otago Daily Times January 23, 2026 18:02 UTC