From nuclear war to Y2K in Dunedin exhibition

By The Star - Sam Henderson | Posted: Monday Oct 27, 2025

Clinton Rowe is displaying some of his unique collection including Y2K ephemera at the Wall Street Mall next week.

From nuclear war to Y2K in Dunedin exhibition | Otago Daily Times Online News

An extraordinary collection of ephemera will feature in a temporary display opening next week.

Private collector Clinton Rowe will show a selection of items, with a strong 1980s focus.

One category of his collection is the School Journal, produced by the Ministry of Education.

The journals were "rooted in time", providing a snapshot of an age.

"For me it is the art and the ideas and the stories and New Zealand history that kind of transcend the medium."

Many well-known New Zealanders, such as author Margaret Mahy, contributed stories.

"You are capturing children and play."

Another category in his collection is cookbooks — not glossy celebrity creations, but simple grassroots publications made by school or community groups.

Visions of the future in books, films and video games reflected a period of uncertainty when nuclear war seemed possible.

"There is probably about 200 and something books on nuclear war."

Early video games, from Raid Over Moscow to War Gaming for the Commodore 64, explored war and apocalypse.

Wasteland was an early role-playing video game for the Commodore 64.

"It is one of the first apocalyptic genre of role playing games.

"It is considered the precursor of a lot of the modern games like the Fallout series."

Some of the rarer video games were ones developed in New Zealand, such as The Taniwha of Takataka, an adventure game for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k computer.

"This is possibly the only one of it in existence".

A new concern grew before the turn of the century as the Y2K risk of computer errors during the switch to the year 2000 emerged.

"I have got a lot of books on looking at the millennium, changing times, the technology age.

"It is part of a bigger book section of futurism and looking at sort of what predictions people were making."

A plush yellow toy called an electronic "Tickle Tickle Wiggle Wiggle" wore a sash saying "Welcome to the year 2000".

"Not many people would ever think that Y2K is something to collect."

Small plush Y2K "Bugs" offered a light-hearted response to the build-up to the millennium.

But there were also genuine concerns about what might happen. A fridge magnet was mailed to households with Y2K advice, such as stocking up with a three-day supply of food.

The items on display represent a small part of a vast collection Mr Rowe hoped to exhibit in a museum of his own.

"That has always been the goal."

He estimates it could take a space the size of Toitū Otago Settlers Museum to exhibit the entire collection.

In the meantime, visitors to Wall Street Mall next week will be able to explore some of the wonders from his collection.

The display will also include memorabilia from the 1925 New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition, from the collection of Mike James.

The Pop-Up Museum of 1925 Memorabilia and NZ Ephemera will be on display at Wall Street Mall from Wednesday, October 22, until Friday, October 31.

The display has been organised as part of the Ōtepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival.

Visit southernheritage.org.nz for details.