Year 11 Historians Visit the Hocken Library

By Holly Hope | Posted: Tuesday March 31, 2026

Our Year 11 History students recently enjoyed a fascinating and highly informative visit to the Hocken Library.

The students had the privilege of touring the facility and viewing the vast archival collections stored there. Staff guided the group through the process of accessing research materials and explained the importance of proper preservation and storage.

To end the session, the boys were able to explore a wide range of primary sources related to their current topic: New Zealanders in World War II. This hands-on experience allowed students to see history brought to life through tangible artifacts, deepening their understanding of historical inquiry. It was a wonderful chance for our young historians to connect their classroom learning with real-world resources.

This selection of feedback reflects how valuable the boys found the experience:

"I found the visit to the Hocken Library very intriguing and fun. Learning about the sources kept from the past was interesting, as I learned how people lived back then and how different it was compared to now. Looking at the sources about WW2 gave a more in-depth view of perspectives from that time. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and was grateful for this awesome opportunity."

"During our visit, I found that I had a better time than I had anticipated. The large historical collections were interesting in how varied and in-depth they were."

"I found it good because we were given a big tour of the facility and were shown everything we need to know about using the library, even for when we become university students."

"The visit was quite interesting and a good experience. All of the archives were quite cool to look at, and the different sources for WW2 were really good to see."

"The visit was insightful. I was impressed by the sheer volume of primary sources available, particularly the archives relating to World War II. It is great knowing there is such an accessible resource that I can refer to in future studies."

We thank the Hocken Library staff for their hard work in pulling together such a great range of materials for the boys to explore, for hosting us, and for providing such a valuable educational experience.

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