Auckland Museum is joining forces with some of the biggest names in New Zealand music, including Tiki Taane, Nathan Haines and Don McGlashan, to work on a ground-breaking project called Sonic Museum, which will see the production of a series of exclusive new music tracks inspired by galleries at Auckland Museum.

Musicians and sound artists from the dance, rock, ambient, orchestral and jazz scenes have been invited to write and record a track inspired by a gallery of their choice in the museum. Reinterpreted galleries include the World War 2 Hall of Memories, Ancient Worlds, the Oceans Gallery and Maori Court.

The project will be launched on Thursday, 7 May to coincide with the LATE at the Museum event and the launch of New Zealand Music Month. Visitors to Auckland Museum can hear the tracks by donning a special set of headphones and embarking on a sonic exploration of the collections. The tracks will also be available for download onto portable music players from www.sonicmuseum.co.nz.

"The collections in Auckland Museum affect each of us in different ways. In Sonic Museum, a diverse selection of original music accompanies you through the galleries," says Auckland Museum Director Dr Vanda Vitali.

"This exciting project highlights the way in which our thoughts, feelings and sensations are constantly reorganised by new experiences.

On the one hand the music allows us to consider how others, in this case a group of New Zealand's top musicians, can be inspired by galleries in the Museum. At the same time the tracks develop our own experience of the displays, encouraging a new awareness of the collections, of ourselves, and of the world in which we live."

Musicians and sound artists taking part in Sonic Museum and the galleries they have chosen are:

Tiki Taane

Maori Court

Don McGlashan

Origins Gallery

Nathan Haines

Oceans Gallery

Phil Dadson

Ancient Worlds

Chris Adams

World War 1 Sanctuary

Rachel Shearer

Volcanoes

Richard Francis (aka Eso Steel)

Land Gallery

Rosy Parlane

World War 2 Hall of Memories

Tim Coster

Landmarks: International Design and Decorative Arts

What: Sonic Museum

When: From Thursday, 7 May

Where: Auckland Museum

Cost: $10 to hire headphones or download all tracks

More information: www.sonicmuseum.co.nz