Ke-Xin Li, The volunteer tour guides bringing Auckland War Memorial Museum exhibits to life, Radio NZ, 3 October 2025
Russell Toplis is a volunteer tour guide at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Until a few months ago, he would spend half his tours in the Māori Court and Pacific Galleries, telling stories of the voyage to Aotearoa, and showing visitors the 25 metre long waka.
But that’s no longer possible after the discovery of asbestos in the ceiling and roof there.