5-Year Anniversary - Hobbit Day 2022

Hard for me to believe - as well as International Hobbit Day 2022 it’s The One Room Fan Museum’s 5th Anniversary.

Such an unexpected party!

The Fan Museum was launched on 22 August 2017 with a rollicking launch party. It was such a huge thing getting there, with just incredible support (still ongoing) from my fellow hobbit conspirator Liz, and my closest family and friends.

The doors opened the next day, a Saturday. And our first visitors came! Mike The Guide! Wow, mate, you certainly know how to sleuth out new things on your block.

Those early days when the Museum was open just a day or so a week were incredible. Meeting LOTR fans from round the world, plus meeting NZ LOTR fans, especially my kindred spirits Jack and Alex. Adding Jack’s collection to the Fan Museum really stepped things up.

Other fantastic expansions have been receiving some special items made for LOTR from Sir Richard Taylor, CEO of Weta Workshop; having some fantastic loaned items on display; taking the Fan Museum out to Welly-moot picnics and festivals; and major costume-making, especially Theoden’s armour.

There’s some cool pics below - hobbits, the Museum stalwarts, cool moments, Museum shots, plus an unexpected video of us singing the Fan Museum song at the launch party in 2017.

But the Fan Museum’s trajectory was stymied by Covid 19, like lots of other tourist ventures. End of 2019 I decided to dedicate myself more to the Fan Museum and left work. Things were going gangbusters in February 2020...

Hard times for everyone, but amazingly we’re still here. A few overseas LOTR fans are trickling back. And one really cool side of closed borders has been opening the family fun side of the Fan Museum.

So, it’s great to be here and celebrate International Hobbit Day and our 5-year anniversary. Thanks to all those who’ve been on and are still on the journey with me. The road goes ever on … Best wishes, Kathy

Singing the Fan Museum song at the Launch Party 22 September 2017