Public programmes are often a gateway into a museum’s collections, sparking curiosity, deepening understanding, and helping people connect with exhibitions, research, and stories in meaningful ways. For many, a museum programme can be the beginning of a lifelong love of cultural institutions. But what happens when those programmes are not offered in your language? For many Deaf people across Aotearoa, this is the reality.
In 2024, Te Papa’s Public Programming team began a journey to include New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) in our public programmes. What started as a one-off story time has since grown into a dedicated and evolving programme of work. As part of Te Papa’s celebrations for NZSL Week, Public Programming Manager Rachel Fox reflects on how this journey began, what was learned along the way, and why accessibility must be more than an afterthought.
Background
Like most good stories, ours begins with an origin point – although ours started with a slightly uncomfortable lesson.
NZSL is used by around 20,000 New Zealanders, including approximately 4,000 Deaf people who use it as their first or preferred language. It is a visual-gestural language with its own grammar and structure; it is not simply a signed version of spoken English.
Despite NZSL being recognised as one of New Zealand’s official languages since 2006, barriers to communication and a lack of accessible programming continue to exclude Deaf communities from fully participating in museums and other cultural spaces. In 2023, not a single public programme at Te Papa included NZSL interpretation, meaning an entire community was missing out.
In early 2024, we had scheduled a public talk and, at the last minute, decided to make it more accessible by booking an NZSL interpreter. Our intentions were good, but the outcome was not what we had hoped for. No Deaf manuhiri attended the programme, and because of the talk’s format and our lack of preparation, our wonderful interpreter was placed in a difficult position trying to interpret content they hadn’t been properly briefed on.
It was a humbling moment. As a team, we realised that accessibility cannot be something added at the last minute. It needs to be considered from the very beginning. We knew we had to do better.
Getting started
Each year, Matariki is one of the highlights of Te Papa’s public programming calendar, making it the perfect place to reset and restart.
In 2024, we worked with Deaf consultant Theresa Cooper to offer an NZSL-interpreted story time for tamariki. We ran two sessions and, with Theresa’s support, invited Deaf whānau and children of Deaf adults (CODA) to attend. The sessions were small, but for our team, they felt significant. They showed us what was possible and gave us the confidence to keep going.
With this early success behind us, we focused on building our team’s capabilities. We took part in Deaf Awareness training through Deaf Aotearoa and were also fortunate to participate in a pilot session of Arts Access Aotearoa’s Responsiveness Training programme.
These experiences helped shift our thinking from simply “including interpretation” to genuinely designing programmes with Deaf communities in mind.
Consultation
Following our early Matariki success, Te Papa’s Public Programmes and Digital Channels teams worked with Theresa to run a consultation programme with the Wellington Deaf community. Across two sessions, we asked a simple but important question: What would you like to see from Te Papa?
We talked about both our public programmes and our website and asked how we could better serve Deaf and NZSL users in Wellington. Rather than assuming what was needed, we wanted to listen first.
With a focus on Matariki 2025, we worked alongside the community to shape an NZSL programme for Whānau Day and After Dark.
The result was a major step forward. Instead of a single-story time session, our Matariki 2025 programme featured two dedicated NZSL programmes led by a Deaf facilitator, and supported by NZSL interpreters.
Activities included taonga talks with Te Papa curators, uku carving with artist Stevei Houkāmau, and learning about waka and celestial navigation with the crew of Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti.
It was bigger, stronger, and more community-led – exactly where we hoped this journey would take us.
Learning NZSL
Alongside our engagement with the local Deaf community, the Public Programming team also began learning NZSL ourselves. We organised regular NZSL lessons at Te Papa and invited other public-facing kaimahi to join us.
Over 12 months in 2025, staff learned the foundations of everyday communication – how to introduce ourselves, explain our job titles, share exhibition names, give directions, offer greetings, and communicate emergency procedures.
The classes brought together kaimahi from across the museum, including Public Programmes, Te Papa Store, Marketing, Te Papa Cafe, Hosts, and Security. Watch some of the staff talk about their favourite NZSL kupu.
The goal was simple but important: from the moment Deaf visitors walk through Te Papa’s doors, they should be able to communicate with someone in NZSL.
This work complements Te Papa’s existing accessibility tools, including the NZSL entry video and the Te Papa Mobile Guide, helping create a more welcoming and inclusive experience from arrival to departure.
Engaging with Turi Māori
We also wanted to ensure our programme reflected the needs and voices of the Turi Māori community.
While NZSL is unique to Aotearoa and includes some te ao Māori concepts, local place names, and distinctly New Zealand expressions, Turi Māori often face additional barriers when trying to access their own cultural heritage. Limited access to culturally appropriate and accessible communication can create further disconnection from te ao Māori, language, and taonga. For many, this can mean feeling distanced from important cultural knowledge and identity.
To better understand these experiences, we connected with Te Rōpū Kaitiaki, a Turi Māori-led strategic advisory group established in 2022, by and for Turi Māori. The group works in partnership with the New Zealand Sign Language Board and Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People, advocating for the needs and aspirations of Turi Māori communities. Te Rōpū Kaitiaki visited our Mātauranga Māori stores, connecting with the taonga and sharing knowledge, including te ao Māori concepts and expressions in NZSL, with Te Papa kaimahi.
A really special moment was when one of our Kaitiaki Taonga, Cameron Woolford, brought in a taonga puoro from home – one he knew would have a particularly deep sound – and played it so the rōpū could experience and feel the vibrations. It was a meaningful way to begin our time together.
We are now working with Rāhera Turner, the Chair of Te Rōpū Kaitiaki and a Turi Māori consultant, to co-develop collection tours specifically for Turi Māori. Using Te Papa’s taonga as a starting point, these tours aim to create stronger connections to culture, identity, and te ao Māori through accessible and meaningful experiences. This work is guided by Turi Māori perspectives, ensuring cultural integrity and accessibility are led by the community itself.
Outcomes
The progress we’ve seen over the past two years has been both encouraging and exciting. Our first Te Papa NZSL class is now about to begin its sixth term of learning, marking a significant milestone in our team’s ongoing commitment to accessibility.
In early 2026, we also launched a second round of NZSL classes, with a new group of Te Papa kaimahi beginning NZSL Level 1A. The strong engagement across both groups reflects a growing commitment from staff across the museum to continue building confidence and capability in NZSL. What started as an introduction to NZSL has become an ongoing part of how we build capability and confidence across teams.
NZSL is also becoming more deeply integrated into our public programmes. Since those first story time sessions, we have delivered three NZSL Whānau Days and continue to expand our ambitions.
We are currently working towards welcoming Turi Māori more fully into the whare, including plans for an NZSL-interpreted pōwhiri – an important and exciting step in creating a truly inclusive cultural experience.
Perhaps most importantly, we have been building genuine relationships with Deaf communities and NZSL interpreters. In the beginning, we needed to personally invite Deaf whānau to attend our programmes. Now, our NZSL events regularly book out.
That shift tells us something important: Te Papa has become a trusted space.
As part of NZSL Week, we are proud to contribute through three whānau-focused activities, alongside hosting the NZSL Awards Ceremony, a celebration that reflects both the visibility and value of NZSL within Aotearoa.
Lessons Learned
This journey has taught us that accessibility is not a one-off project – it is a long-term commitment built on relationships, trust, and genuine partnership.
One of our biggest lessons was understanding that engaging with the Deaf community must come first. Accessibility cannot be designed from behind a desk. It requires listening, consultation, and a willingness to be guided by the people you are hoping to serve.
We also learned that starting small is okay. Our first NZSL programme was just a story time session, but it created the momentum for everything that followed. You do not need to have the perfect programme from day one, you simply need to begin.
At Te Papa, accessibility matters because museums are for everyone. As the first people many visitors meet, our Hosts and frontline kaimahi play a critical role in creating that sense of welcome and belonging. Our public programme opens up Te Papa’s exhibitions and helps to foster a love of lifelong learning. Small moments of connection can shape an entire visit.
This work also reflects Te Papa’s wider strategy and our responsibility to uphold the mana of all cultures. If we are committed to being a museum for all New Zealanders, that must include Deaf communities and NZSL users.
For other museums and organisations looking to begin this work during NZSL Week and beyond, my advice is simple: work with the community, start small, and stay open-minded. The most meaningful progress happens when accessibility is approached not as an obligation, but as an opportunity to do better.
Whāia te iti Kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe me maunga teitei – Pursue that which is precious, and do not be deterred by anything less than a lofty mountain.
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