Help raise funds for Tūhura Otago Museum’s Fire Sprinklers

Professor David Hutchinson, physicist at the University of Otago and Board Chair of Tūhura Otago Museum, is taking on one of the world’s toughest open-water swims, the Cook Strait, to raise funds for urgently needed fire sprinklers at the Museum.

Tūhura Otago Museum is home to around 2 million nationally and internationally significant objects, caring for taonga that tell the stories of Aotearoa’s people, science, and natural world. While the Museum safeguards these collections every day, critical protections, including a full fire sprinkler system, remain unfunded.

David’s daring swim is about changing that.

Swimming the Cook Strait is no small feat. The crossing spans 22 to 26 kilometres of cold, unpredictable water between Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds, with strong currents, rough seas, and the added company of jellyfish and sharks. By taking on this extraordinary challenge, David is shining a spotlight on the urgent need to protect Tūhura’s irreplaceable collections for future generations.

All donation's will go directly towards installing fire sprinklers at Tūhura Otago Museum, helping to safeguard one of New Zealand’s most significant cultural and scientific collections. No matter the size, every contribution truly counts.

If he successfully completes the swim, Professor Hutchinson says the thing he is most looking forward to at the end is a well earned Emerson’s Bird Dog beer.