Linuxelf writes: The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy: The Exhibition, returns at Te Papa museum Wellington. A quote from the site:

“It’s back home by popular demand – and full of great new stories and exhibits.

After its record-breaking season at Te Papa in 2002/03, and the blockbuster international tour that followed, this exhibition has been seen by over one million people around the world – but none have seen all of its latest attractions.

As a visitor to this, the exhibition’s last-ever season, you’ll be among the only people in the world to gaze upon Aragorn’s crown, or examine the astonishing miniature of the great fortified city Minas Tirith. There are also exclusive, all-new interviews with Peter Jackson, and the cast and crew.

You’ll get up close to a host of stunningly detailed props, costumes, and creatures, including Gollum and Shelob. Here, and in other exhibits, the show zooms in on the groundbreaking technology that New Zealand’s own Weta Workshop and Weta Digital developed to make movie history. You can be photographed in a film-set to see how scaling special effects work, and encounter the One Ring itself in a dramatic, atmospheric space.”

14 April 2006 – 20 August 2006
Location
Level 5 Entry

Admission charges:

Adults $12.00
4 – 14 yrs $6.50

Family Prices and Concessions available. For more information go to tepapa.govt.nz

Haldirriel writes: My friends and I just returned from touring the north island of New Zealand. Whilst there, we were informed that Jane Abbott has some of the horses from the movie and offers tours. We were able to pet and take pictures of Asfaloth, Brego, Hasufel, Gandalph’s cart pony and 2 Ringwraith horses. Jane showed us pictures from filming and told stories. She welcomes tours and for more info you can go to the website moviehorsesnz.com. Our thanks to Jane & Karen for a wonderful and informative afternoon!!

Ben writes: Our mapping site – zoomin.co.nz has just released aerial photography of New Zealand. I thought you might be interested because you can use the maps to create a group of lord of the rings group and locate all the places that the film was shot. For example – here is wellington – where a lot of the filming for fellowship was done – Weta studios are also located here. Press the ‘aerial’ button to get aerial photography of Wellington. [More]

Shane Rangi, the stuntman/actor who played several characters in the Rings-trilogy and was recently spotted in as General Otmin in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, will be amongst this years guests at the Elf Fantasy Fair. Other guests include cartographer Daniel Reeve and fantasyauthors Stan Nicholls, Tad Williams and Cate Tiernan. The event, which draws some 20.000 visitors to The Netherlands each year, will be held on the 22nd and 23rd of April. Head over to their website for more information! [ElfFantasy.nl]