Join us for a Wild Night Masquerade Gala and Charity Auction at Dunedin’s iconic Tūhura Otago Museum. The theme - ‘Huna Te Moana - Secrets of the Sea’
Proudly brought to you by Wild Dunedin, Tūhura Otago Museum and The OPERA.
Join us for a spectacular Wild Night Masquerade Gala and Charity Auction at Tūhura Otago Museum. This year’s theme…
Huna I Te Moana – Secrets of the Sea.
Embrace the mystery of the ocean depths and arrive in your finest sea-inspired attire. Think underwater wonders, ocean elegance, shimmering scales, and flowing tides.
A stunning line up of live music, exciting charity items including Tūhura’s Photography Competition prints, plus your ticket includes two complimentary drinks and delicious canapés from Precinct.
All profits from the gala and charity auction go directly towards supporting the vital work of Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, The Otago Shore and Land Trust, Wild Dunedin, and Tūhura Otago Museum.
It’s the Wildest Night in Dunedin!
The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital
The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital is a lifeline for injured and endangered native wildlife across Otago and Aotearoa. Dedicated veterinarians and volunteers provide expert care, rehabilitation and hope to our precious taoka.
Otago Shore and Land Trust
At The Otago Shore & Land Trust, our kaupapa/purpose is preserving nature’s song which we endeavour to fulfil through our mahi/work focused on conservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and education.
Wild Dunedin
Wild Dunedin is NZ’s Festival of Nature. With very deep roots in Ōtepoti, the wildlife capital of Aotearoa, work to share the magnificent wildlife and wild places of this stunning region and showcase the work of those who protect it.
Tūhura Otago Museum
For over 150 years, Tūhura Otago Museum has been collecting and sharing stories. From here in Dunedin to deep space, from millions of years ago to future-thinking research, they bring the natural world to visitors of all ages right here in Dunedin.
Exclusive VIP Experience
We invite our sponsors and special guests to The exclusive VIP Experience in the Beautiful Science Gallery at Tūhura Otago Museum.
Step into an elevated evening within the stunning Beautiful Science Gallery at Tūhura Otago Museum and experience the Wild Night Masquerade Gala & Charity Auction with exclusive VIP flair. Enjoy drinks and exquisite canapés curated by Precinct. This is your space to connect, converse and quietly with fellow patrons, sponsors, and conservation champions and size up the competition before the Auction begins. From extraordinary one-off experiences and art pieces to coveted prints from Tūhura’s celebrated photography competition, the VIP experience is a refined, indulgent prelude to a thrilling night of generosity and glamour with Wild Dunedin and Tūhura.
Setting the Scene
As the doors open at Tūhura Otago Museum and masks begin to shimmer beneath the lights, a curation of local music makes the Wild Night Masquerade Gala & Charity Auction come alive.
Dunedin’s own Ōwheo String Quartet sets the tone, sweeping through the atrium like a rising tide followed by the sultry Jazz tones of local singer Abby Fleur singing atmospheric ballads. Then, during the Charity Auction, the unexpected, shimmering resonance of a sitar threads its way into the night, adding a sense of mystery to the Huna Te Moana theme.
This is music that moves like the sea itself, layered, surprising, and unfathomably elegant. Then, just when you think the night is coming to a close, stay for the crescendo of DJ-curated dance tracks. It’s a night of generosity, glamour and wild-hearted revelry!
Ōwheo String Quartet
Introducing the elegant Ōwheo String Quartet, a Dunedin ensemble whose sound is as refined as it is stirring. Named for Ōwheo, the Leith that winds through the city, the quartet draws on both classical mastery and contemporary flair. A perfect complement to launch an evening celebrating the secrets of the sea.
Abby Fleur
Conveying a rainbow of stories and late-night confessions, Abby Fleur slips between sassy acoustic grooves and honey-sweet jazz like silk under the sea. Born with rhythm in her bones, she serves up lush gems of sound, paying homage to the great ladies of Jazz. Each note is warm, soulful, and her voice shimmers like sunlight on waves.
Dave Napper
As the mystery and excitement of the charity auction unfolds, Dave Napper takes the stage with his sitar, offering a spellbinding interlude to get bidders in a generous mood. The sitar’s liquid tones ripple and echo like moonlight on water, a hauntingly beautiful tribute to our ocean depths, and the wild wonders we gather to protect.