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 notRead more
Te Papa’s scientists recently received raingear and tents for their research trips through Macpac’s Fund for Good. As Curator Fishes Thom Linley says, “Working in remote locations near, and often on, the water means we are always at the mercy of the elements. Weather conditions can change rapidly, and becomingRead more
Learning Specialist Martin Langdon shares insights into an artist and school project resulting in a new artwork now displayed in PlaNet Pasifika in Tangata o Le Moana on Level 4. He talks about ‘Āiga and the mahi involved from teachers, artists, tauira, and many Te Papa teams. The fabric ofRead more
When you visit an exhibition, do you enjoy hands-on and touchscreen interactive experiences? Are interactive experiences a good way to learn something new or explore important topics within exhibitions? Kelly Gwynn, a student in Victoria University’s Master of Museum and Heritage Practice programme and with a decade of experience workingRead more
Una Dubbelt-Leitch spent four months working alongside Amber Aranui as part of her Master of Museum Practice placement on the Acknowledging our Colonial Past project. This project contributed significantly to understanding Te Papa’s taonga Māori collection, a large proportion of which is currently unprovenanced. This blog is based on theRead more
Many of the treasures in the National Art Collection have come into the museum as generous gifts – from collectors, artists, their families, and the public. To mark Te Papa Foundation’s Annual Appeal, Curator Modern Art Lizzie Bisley looks here at some of the wonderful artworks and collections that haveRead more
For a few days in mid-January, Curator Botany Heidi Meudt was part of a team that conducted a survey of Myosotis umbrosa, a plant with the same threat status as the kākāpō: Threatened – Nationally Critical. The team spent three days in the Rock and Pillar Range in Otago to getRead more
Could Artificial Intelligence really appraise Te Papa’s public records? Collections Data Manager Gareth Watkins and Archivist Jennifer Twist tested it on thousands of records and got results that were faster, less resource-intensive, and more consistent than expected – until they weren’t. This post unpacks the experiment, the limits we encountered,Read more
Last year, the Public Programming team embarked on a new area of programming for kaumātua, for people over 65. This was developed in collaboration with Age Concern staff and participants from a range of their groups to create tailored experiences that provide spaces for connection, knowledge sharing, and learning. Public Programming specialist Catherine Ayres, and Public Programming specialist – Kaupapa Māori Lucy Schrader-Manuera share their reflections on the programme.Read more
In the public sphere, the more ‘flashy’ parts of palaeontology tend to get all the press – excavating fossils in exotic locations and publishing new scientific discoveries. But equally important is how the fossils are cared for, so they are available for research and display, both now and long into the future.Read more
Earlier this year, Te Waipounamu iwi Kāi Tahu invited a group of its iwi members to join with Archaeology students from Otago University to take part in their first hands-on dig in Moeraki. Te Papa Host and Assistant Visitor Services Manager Robbie Titchener was on that dig and shares some of the experiences here. Read more
On the morning of Thursday 16 of October, Curator Vertebrates Alan Tennyson came in and asked Curator Fishes Andrew Stewart if he knew anything about the fish lying out in the carpark up at the Tory Street building. Worried that it might be a collection item, they went out andRead more
Humanities Technician Cassandra Bahr has been working in the Collected Archives at Te Papa, cataloguing and rehousing papers from people connected to Te Papa’s collecting areas. Here, she highlights parts of the archives held at Te Papa of the sculptor John Edgar. Edgar was committed to being a full-time artist. He maintainedRead more
As part of the Digital Collections & Access team, Collections Data Manager Gareth Watkins supports kaimahi across the museum to input and maintain accurate information in EMu, Te Papa’s Collection Management System, ensuring it supports the documentation and management of more than a million collection taonga objects and natural historyRead more
Humanities Technician Cassandra Bahr has been working in the Collected Archives at Te Papa, cataloguing and rehousing papers from people connected to Te Papa’s collecting areas. Here, she discusses the archive of Tony Whitaker, a renowned herpetologist who donated his collection of specimens to Te Papa. For an introduction to Tony Whitaker, read Anthony Hume Whitaker, MNZM (1944–2014) – a tribute, and to understand more of the importance of his work, see A gift of lizards – 35 years to completion.Read more
