News & Project Updates

New Zealand’s first memorial museum in Europe for Kiwi soldiers who died on the continent during World War One will open in France this October with an innovative visitor experience created by Wētā Workshop. The New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata will commemorate the triumph of Kiwi soldiers who liberated the people of Le […]

On Thursday’s show (Bastille Day – with Ro hosting from home with the ‘Rona and Jamie off playing golf), Jamie left a pre-recorded chat with Sir Don McKinnon to play and the feedback was incredible! Sir Don, a legend of NZ politics (Deputy PM 1990-96), was making his way to France to help raise awareness […]

Wētā Workshop is embarking on its latest venture, bringing to life a pivotal moment in New Zealand’s WWI history thousands of kilometres away from Wellington in a small French town, Le Quesnoy.  Opening to the public in a phased manner from ANZAC Day 2023, the living memorial museum and visitor centre will honour New Zealand’s […]

There was some exciting news out over the weekend to mark ANZAC day. Weta Workshop has teamed up with the New Zealand Memorial Museum Trust – Le Quesnoy to re-create a pivotal moment in our WW1 history – in Le Quesnoy itself. The project will be a living memorial museum and visitor centre to honour […]

Cambridge’s French partner town Le Quesnoy is set to receive a new visitor experience next year with a museum dedicated to the liberation of the town by New Zealand soldiers in 1918.

Wētā Workshop is turning its hand from Hollywood blockbusters to recreating one of New Zealand’s most famous victories of WWI. It’s designing a living memorial in Le Quesnoy where Kiwi troops liberated the northern French town from the Germans in late 1918.

The story of how a New Zealand batallion liberated the small French town of Le Quesnoy from German occupation in 1918, using ladders to scale the fortress walls, is still celebrated in France, and now Weta are building a memorial.