If you watched late night television towards the end of the 1960s you might remember the following theatrically pronounced lines: For [architect David Vincent] it began one lost night on a lonely country road, looking for a shortcut that he never found. It began with a closed deserted diner, andRead more
Te Papa Education really values the relationships we have made (and continue to make) with other organisations in and around Wellington, and we are always looking for opportunities to work collaboratively. The celebration of Matariki (Māori New Year) has proven to be a great opportunity to work with the teamRead more
A couple of colleagues pointed out there was something a little odd about the spider I thought was a juvenile redback spider in Scott Ogilvie’s post. This spider, named Fabergé – as in Fabergé egg, for her ovoid shape and pretty pattern- is nothing of the kind despite my initialRead more
As part of Science Live: Secret World of Ferns, we want to find out what type of fern you are! If one of the statements below sounds like you, click on it to reveal your secret fern personality… Are you easily embarrassed? Sounds like you’re: rasp fern (Doodia australis).The newRead more
When you find an ‘odd’ looking spider on your curtain, what is your normal response? Hopefully it’s not to kill it! Maybe it’s to catch it and it and take outside? Or maybe more of a Paul McCartney approach and let it be. Well I was faced with that decision lastRead more
Te Papa’s next Science Live event on Friday 16 May is all about the secret world of ferns, so it seems only right to ask – what is a fern? We want you to tell us (before we tell you). After all, everyone knows more or less what a fern is –Read more
The next Science Live @ Te Papa event on Friday 16 May reveals the secret world of ferns. Join botany curator Leon Perrie live online to find out what makes these Kiwi emblems special. Plus, can you help to make a scientific discovery? Tune into Science Live: Secret World ofRead more
Ferns are an integral part of New Zealand’s environment and culture. Tune in to our Science Live broadcast on Friday 16 May to learn about what makes these Kiwi emblems special. Plus, can you help to make a scientific discovery? Find out about ferns live online with curator Leon PerrieRead more
One of our research goals on the Snares Islands was to collect non-vascular plants. Non-vascular plants include mosses, liverworts and hornworts (collectively known as bryophytes) and lichens. Mosses have two main life stages – the gametophyte stage and sporophyte stage. Both stages are visible in images on this post. The gametophyteRead more
Victoria University of Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters is justifiably famous. One of its innovative creative writing courses goes by the intriguing acronym of ‘CREW352’. CREW352 is creative science writing. Recently, CREW352 student Nina Powles interviewed Dr Susan Waugh, Senior Curator of Sciences at Museum of New Zealand TeRead more
At 2.00pm today, Tuesday 18th March, Te Papa scientists will be talking about their recent trip to the Snares Islands, and the wonderful wildlife they encountered. Watch Science Live: Expedition Snares Island via YouTube – and don’t forget to ask your questions! We’ve already had some great questions fromRead more
A Te Papa team recently visited the Snares Islands Nature Reserve, 105 km south-southwest of Stewart Island, where they completed a range of seabird and plant research projects. Here, Antony Kusabs (Collection Manager Sciences) describes his first impressions of the Snares Islands, his first trip to a New Zealand Sub-Antarctic island group. WatchRead more
Recently some of our scientists carried out fieldwork on the Snares Islands,100 kilometres south of Stewart Island. They’ll be talking about their work live on Science Live: Expedition Snares Island, 18th March, 2.00pm. But why do Te Papa scientists care about the Snares Islands? What’s so special about them thatRead more
Four Te Papa staff members visited the Snares Islands Nature Reserve for a fortnight in late 2013, undertaking a variety of seabird and plant research projects (see previous blogs listed below). The Snares Islands are famous for their birdlife, and here vertebrates curator Colin Miskelly looks at some of theRead more
This blog comes from our lovely Audience Engagement intern, Shonagh Lowerson-Head: On Sunday 2nd March, as part of our Seaweek Family Fun Day, a new sea monster was created: the Te Papa taniwha. But it’s story starts earlier than that. A week previous, the materials were gathered from Evans BayRead more
