Former home of Roy Houchen and his mother, 94 Constable Street, as it looks today. Photo: Kiera Gould, 2011.

During my internship with the Te Papa History Team, I have been working to try to identify the sitters who appear in a number of photographic portraits which are held in the museum’s collection.  Using military personnel files, databases and online resources I have tried to discover more information aboutRead more

A wonderful group of puppets, made and used by the Burton Theatre of Puppets, are about to go on display in the Inspiration Station Discovery Centre at Te Papa. From the 5th October a new generation of children are set to be inspired by puppets used in a show calledRead more

Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Dr Colin Miskelly tells the eighth instalment of the unfolding story of the emperor penguin that went where none had gone before (at least in the age of digital media). Previous blogs on the penguin were posted between 23 June and 29 August. Seventy-sixRead more

This week I am attending my first ever full Fashion Week. A Fashion Week that might, according to newspaper reports, be New Zealand’s last  – at least while the recession digs its toes in. Yesterday I attended two shows that while wildly diverse reflect two aspects of current activity atRead more

Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Colin Miskelly is in Guayaquil as the expert advisor to the New Zealand delegation at the 6th ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels) meeting, and has provided this report. The ACAP meeting has been a great opportunity to meet with albatrossRead more

“In these rooms you will hear the stories of our people: our origins across the Pacific, our arrival in Aotearoa, and the life we created over many generations. You will meet the leaders, heroes and guardians who have shaped who we are today. And you will discover the taonga (treasures)Read more

A large part of our role as Matauranga Maori curators is to constantly research and find out more about the taonga Maori that Te Papa holds. We research for exhibitions, books, and ensure as much is known about the collection as possible. However, with 35, 000 taonga, curatorial research canRead more