It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Luit Bieringa on 21 June.
Bieringa was director of the National Art Gallery from 1979 to 1989, an institution that merged with the National Museum to form what is now Te Papa. His story is embedded in the history of Te Papa – and indeed in the history of art in New Zealand. And the art works he and his staff acquired that are in our collection are a legacy he left for future generations.Read more
On 24 June 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade and decided that, despite almost fifty years of precedent, abortion is not a constitutional right. Te Papa curator Stephanie Gibson reflects on the long fight for safe, legal abortions in Aotearoa New Zealand using objects from the Te Papa collection.Read more
Sixty years ago, on 27 May 1962, a group of sixteen men met at a house on The Terrace in central Wellington to discuss forming what would become New Zealand’s first documented homosexual organisation – the Dorian Society. Gareth Watkins shares more of the story of some of the peopleRead more
Curator Grace Gassin introduces a new project highlighting taonga in the national collection belonging to Ainu, an indigenous people of 日本 Japan, as well as stories of Japanese migration to Aotearoa New Zealand.Read more
Norway rats and house mice are two of the most widespread invasive species worldwide. But where did the Norway rats and house mice in New Zealand come from? Our geneticist Lara Shepherd and colleagues from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, University of Waikato, and Place Management NSW have shed some light on this question by sequencing DNA from rodent bones from a 19th-century archaeological site in Sydney.Read more
Visitors to Te Papa will no doubt have seen the Britten V1000 – an iconic, world-beating motorcycle designed and built in Christchurch by John Britten and his team. At the moment the bike will looks a bit different, as we are displaying it without its iconic pink and blue bodywork. History curator Katie Cooper gives an overview of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most famous motorbike.Read more
In the latest instalment of the Chinese Languages in Aotearoa project, curator Grace Gassin talks with interpreter Henry Lu about Hakka, and how it inspired his career.Read more
In this third look at our South African Collection, Summer Scholar Courtney Powell explains the intricate craft of beaded fashion and the important family connection behind some of these items.Read more
In the second instalment of blogs highlighting the South African Collection, Summer Scholar Courtney Powell introduces a fighting axe with a connection to one of New Zealand’s famous families.Read more
In the first blog looking at objects from South Africa, Summer Scholar Courtney Powell highlights key musical instruments in the collection and discusses the ongoing importance of building collection knowledge.Read more
Working in the International History Collection, Courtney Powell is the Victoria University of Wellington Summer Scholar for 2021 exploring object histories from South Africa. Here, Courtney introduces the project, with more updates to come.Read more
Everyone appreciates an extra day off. Throughout the motu, Waitangi Day is often spent at the beach with our whānau, visiting beloved swimming spots and travelling the country to make the most of rāumati. However, it is important to not lose sight of what and how we are commemorating on Waitangi Day, says Public Programming intern Millie Burton (Ngāti Kahungunu).Read more
In this third instalment of the Chinese Languages in Aotearoa project, curator Grace Gassin and magazine publisher and typeface designer Jack Yan talk about Cantonese, an especially significant language in the history of Chinese migration to Aotearoa New Zealand.Read more
Collections Data Manager Gareth Watkins describes how an LGBTI rainbow artwork by the famous flag maker Gilbert Baker has found a home at Te Papa.Read more
In this second instalment of the Chinese Languages in Aotearoa project, curator Grace Gassin and Tee Phee of Wellington’s Little Penang restaurant introduce Hokkien, a Chinese language originating in the southern Chinese province of Fujian.Read more
