On Friday 13 and Saturday 14 September the Hawke’s Bay Branch of Royal Society Te Apārangi celebrated its 150th anniversary.

On Friday evening, the celebrations commenced with a meeting and mingling of members and invited guests.

On Saturday, the day began with the House of Science Expo, where the younger generation had a chance to explore hands-on science activities, including microscopes and rocket experiments. In the afternoon, we enjoyed a series of talks by local scientists who shared their work and research across various fields in Hawke’s Bay, as well as hearing about the history of the Branch and seeing some of its artefacts held by Hawke’s Bay Museum (MTG).

130 guests (including Royal Society President Dame Jane Harding, CEO Paul Atkins, COO James Henry and Council member for branches Jenny Pollock) enjoyed the culmination of our celebrations at a special Anniversary Dinner, featuring a keynote address by Julia Rothman, Director of Rocket Lab’s Mahia launch site.

A huge thanks go to the Napier City Council and Royal Society Te Apārangi for their contributions to making this day an unforgettable milestone in the branch’s history.