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Steampunk HQ is an art collaboration and gallery in the historic Victorian precinct of 
Inside, the gallery presents a theme of a dark post-apocalyptic vision of a future "as it might have been". Contraptions and bizarre machinery featuring heavy use of copper, gears, pipes, gas cylinders, as well as an ensemble of skeletal sculptures are lit by flickering lights and accompanied by projectors and background sounds. The two large darkened rooms and part of the basement of the building house a variety of old industrial and medical machines remade into " aetheric" devices. The exhibits include some large machines, such as a steam tractor, periodically emitting steam, and a boat with a
Steampunk HQ website
Buildings and structures in Oamaru Art museums and galleries in New Zealand Steampunk
Steampunk HQ is an art collaboration and gallery in the historic Victorian precinct of Oamaru, New Zealand
Oamaru (; mi, Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railwa ...
. Opened in November 2011, it celebrates its own industrial take on steampunk via an array of contraptions and sculptures, complemented by audio-visual installations in two darkened rooms and part of the buildings basement. A yard also contains a collection of other industrial parts and projects in various stages of completion.
Steampunk HQ is located in the former Meeks Grain Elevator Building, a historic building registered with by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (initially the National Historic Places Trust and then, from 1963 to 2014, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust) ( mi, Pouhere Taonga) is a Crown entity with a membership of around 20,000 people that advocate ...
as a Category I structure.
Outside of the imposing free-standing stone building, a coin-operated "steampunk" railway engine greets visitors. This NZR DS class
New Zealand Railways may refer to KiwiRail which is the current rail services owner/operator and infrastructure owner/maintainer.
New Zealand Railways may also refer to the following companies:
* New Zealand Railways Department (also known as New ...
diesel locomotive has been heavily modified with lights, engine and train whistle noises, and fire breathing out of its chimney. The building's exterior walls are decorated with creations such as giant flies made from metal and industrial parts.
Inside, the gallery presents a theme of a dark post-apocalyptic vision of a future "as it might have been". Contraptions and bizarre machinery featuring heavy use of copper, gears, pipes, gas cylinders, as well as an ensemble of skeletal sculptures are lit by flickering lights and accompanied by projectors and background sounds. The two large darkened rooms and part of the basement of the building house a variety of old industrial and medical machines remade into " aetheric" devices. The exhibits include some large machines, such as a steam tractor, periodically emitting steam, and a boat with a grim reaper
Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other b ...
.
A back door from the gallery leads to a large yard containing further large machines in various stages of being "steampunked", for example a train carriage being converted to a fortified steam engine and an "Aethertractor", as well as a variety of junk waiting to become ingredients in yet more contraptions.
In 2012, Steampunk HQ was rated as one of New Zealand's best new tourist attractions and is open seven days per week all year, closed only on Christmas Day. An annual Steampunk NZ Festival is held every Queen's Birthday Weekend in early June with three days of activities including Fashion Show & Ball. The Libratory
The Libratory is New Zealand's first dedicated steampunk art gallery, created by Oamaru
Oamaru (; mi, Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is ...
art gallery next door in The Woolstore displays and sells steampunk artwork and sculptures.
References
External links
{{commons categorySteampunk HQ website
Buildings and structures in Oamaru Art museums and galleries in New Zealand Steampunk