Charismatic Leader

Chief executive of New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, Dr Seddon Bennington, 61, died on July 15 tramping in the Tararua Ranges, a sight Dr Bennington admired from his office window, “frequently think[ing] of the satisfaction of being away from city lights and comforts, of traversing ridges, of the sleep that comes of a day’s hard exertion, and of the respect for nature and weather that goes with the terrain.” Former prime minister Helen Clark said she was “deeply saddened” by Dr Bennington’s death. “Seddon brought an era of stability to Te Papa. Our national museum and gallery was fortunate indeed to be able to attract Seddon back to New Zealand from the United States where he had built a distinguished career,” she said. Before taking up his position at Te Papa, Bennington was the director of the Carnegie Science Centre in the United States. He had also worked as the chief executive of Perth’s interactive science museum Scitech Discovery Centre, the director of Otago’s Early Settlers Museum and the director for Wellington’s City Gallery. Scitech acting chief executive officer Gary Foxton said he was “shocked and saddened” by the death of such a “charismatic character”. Foxton said Bennington made science exciting and showed children there was more to it than white lab coats. Fifty-four-year-old female friend Rosie Jackson also died in the accident. Jackson worked at Wellington’s Aotea Pathology. Aotea Pathology chief executive Karen Wood said Jackson, a medical laboratory scientist, was “a long-serving, highly-valued and respected member of staff”.

Dr Seddon Bennington: October 8 1947 – July 11 2009