Te Papa’s first boss dies
Te Papa founding chief executive Dame Cheryll Sotheran has died, aged
72, after a long illness.
‘‘Dame Cheryll leaves an incredible legacy,’’ Te Papa’s current chief executive, Geraint Martin, said yesterday.
Sotheran had a stroke in 2013 and had been battling health issues since. She died in Auckland on Saturday.
‘‘Her spirit of innovation, of challenging the status quo, is part of Te Papa’s DNA,’’ Martin said. ‘‘In creating this unique place for all New Zealanders, Dame Cheryll helped change the way we see ourselves, and our place in the world.’’
Sotheran’s daughters, Lucy and Miranda Pritchard said: ‘‘We are immensely proud of what our mother achieved in her lifetime. She was loved beyond measure by both of us and our families.’’
In 1992, Sotheran was appointed as the founding chief executive of the new museum, which was to be created from the merger of New Zealand’s national museum and art gallery. Te Papa was said to be the world’s biggest museum build of the 1990s. ‘‘[Its opening] on February 14, 1998 – on time and under budget – can be attributed to Dame Cheryll’s determination and vision,’’ said the museum’s kaiautu¯ , Arapata Hakiwai.
‘‘Cheryl had an unwavering belief in a new kind of museum, and was determined to create an experience that was different.’’