It was while Helen Hitchings (1920-2002) was in hospital during the early 1940s that the idea of forming a gallery came to her. The Gallery of Helen Hitchings was opened in Wellington in 1949, her mission to promote an awareness of ‘good domestic design’, made by New Zealanders– up toRead more
Te Papa’s Captain Cook waistcoat During Te Papa’s recent ‘Open House’ weekend many visitors on the Costume & Textile Store tour were captivated by Captain Cook’s waistcoat, or at least a waistcoat reputed to have been worn by the great explorer. The beautifully embroidered waistcoat is said to have comeRead more
Mad for Rossetti ‘Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Even the name is extravagant, evoking Italy’s greatest poet and the angel of the Annunciation. It well suited Rossetti, for he was an extravagant man – in his art, in his poetry and in his emotions. Brilliant, witty, generous and loyal, he was irresistibleRead more
In February, Te Papa opened a commemorative display, Remember: the Canterbury Earthquakes, to mark the fourth anniversary of the devastating 2011 quakes. The display features two pieces of furniture by Rekindle, a social enterprise committed to unlocking the qualities of undervalued materials, and in particular Christchurch’s demolition ‘waste’. The Whole House ReuseRead more
As part of a series of blog publications about the giants that feature in the exhibition, ’Gallipoli: the scale of our war’, and to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Chunuk Bair, I have been asked to write about the two Māori soldiers who are found in the MachineRead more
As part of a series of blogs about the giants that feature in the exhibition, Gallipoli: The scale of our war, and to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Chunuk Bair, I have been asked to write about the two Māori soldiers who are found in the Machine GunnersRead more
100 years ago tonight on 5 August 1915, Lieutenant Colonel William Malone wrote his last words to his beloved wife Ida on the eve of the Chunuk Bair campaign on Gallipoli. Ida had travelled to Britain with their three small children to be nearer her husband. They hoped to meetRead more
This is the fourth blog in our series about the real people behind the larger-than-life sculptures featured in Gallipoli: The scale of our war. This is the story of John Robert Dunn, known as ‘Jack’, who was one of the thousands of keen young men who rushed to enlist atRead more
This is the third blog in our series about the real people behind the eight Weta Workshop-crafted models featured in Gallipoli: The scale of our war. The previous two blogs have been about Spencer Westmacott and Percival Fenwick. This one focuses on Colin ‘Col’ Warden, shown in this pre-war photograph,Read more
Ko tā Paora Tibble (kaiwhakamāori o Te Papa), he tuhi rangitaki mō te reo Māori ki Karipori. Kāti, i te 3 o Hūrae 1915, ka pae Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū ki uta, ki Karipori. Koia Te Ope Tuatahi (Māori). Ākuni pea, he nui ngā hōia Māori ko te reo Māori tō rātou reoRead more
Dame Margaret Sparrow writes about the Coca-Cola bottle top on display in Te Papa’s exhibition Contraception: Uncovering the collection of Dame Margaret Sparrow (Illott Room, level 4). The Coca-Cola flavour was introduced by an American pharmacist in 1886 and sold in bottles from 1894. In 1915 a competition was heldRead more
Amongst the many events happening this weekend during Wellington’s 150th birthday is the official unveiling of a plaque (below). The plaque commemorates 150 years since the founding of Te Papa’s predecessor, the Colonial Museum, and the role of James Hector in setting up and running the museum, amongst many other things.Read more
We presented soldiers’ actual words as much as possible, but had to create an imagined soldier-narrator – ‘the grunt’ – to fill many gaps in the story.Read more
This family portrait has long been a favourite amongst the Te Papa History team. It stands out amongst the many Berry & Co soldier portraits due to the sitters’ magnificent winter dress. Draped in heavy woollen coats and luxurious furs, it is the one portrait in the collection that powerfully conveys a season. The portrait is simply inscribed ‘Brown’. AsRead more
History curator Michael Fitzgerald introduces Lieutenant Colonel Percival Fenwick, the second, larger-than-life figure encountered in Gallipoli: The scale of our war. The 45-year-old surgeon’s despair is palpable, as leans over Jack Aitken on May 4th 1915, knowing that he has been unable to save the fatally wounded Canterbury infantryman. Fenwick (1870–1958) was born inRead more
