The tragic news from the Pike River mine has put me in mind of another mining disaster on the West Coast. In 1896 sixty-five workers were killed at the Brunner mine after a methane-gas explosion. It was New Zealand’s worst industrial accident. On the morning of 26th March, 1896, anRead more
Te Papa fish team is off Kaikoura onboard the MV Star Keys to study deep-sea fish fauna. We have just finished our third day of sampling off Kaikoura. So far, everything goes well, and we are progressing at a good pace with our sampling. It has been difficult to haveRead more
The start of a new sampling campaign is always a very exciting moment for scientists. After months of careful preparations, our fourth deep-sea sampling station is becoming a reality. In three days, Carl, Tom and myself from Te Papa are joining our boat the Star Keys, her crew and two other scientists from MasseyRead more
“For over half a century I wrote about and taught the history of this country. However, my reasons for standing here today owe more to a sense of belonging, of having enjoyed a long life shaped by twentieth-century New Zealand.” Bill Oliver at opening of Slice of Heaven. © TeRead more
During a recent family holiday to central and southern Chile, I was able to do a bit of botanising. In addition to several plants endemic to Chile, we also saw several with a Pacific connection. First stop was a day trip to the National Botanic Gardens at Viña del MarRead more
Senior artist Vivian Lynn has for over 60 years been making critical and enquiring work. The recent selective survey I, HERE, NOW Vivian Lynn at the Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi, Victoria University of Wellington (25 October 2008–15 March 2009) curated by Christina Barton, offered a rich selection ofRead more
Brian Brake is one of New Zealand’s best known photographers. His career covered the golden age of photojournalism – his images featured in magazines around the world such as Life and Paris Match. He was passionate about New Zealand, the people and landscapes. Te Papa is very fortunate to have been giftedRead more
This is the first in an ongoing series of blogs about New Zealand history. These blogs are going to focus on 20th century events and objects as well as topics in Te Papa’s history exhibition Slice of Heaven: 20th Century Aotearoa. Following from the recent blog about the diarama in the exhibtionRead more
This striking work, Look Within 2 (2007) by Papua New Guinea artist Daniel Waswas is the latest addition to Te Papa’s collection of contemporary Pacific artworks. It depicts four images of the same person, conveying a message of self reflection and addressing the idea of identity from within one’s ownRead more
It’s just 2 weeks now since Slice of Heaven opened and the word from Te Papa’s hosts is that it’s “what New Zealanders have been waiting for!” This is my first blog – ever. I was one of the team working behind the scenes to bring the stories from 20th CenturyRead more
This morning, our fish team went to a small boatshed in Breaker Bay on Wellington’s south coast to pick up a great white shark. Not your normal morning mission and a bittersweet one at that as these creatures are endagered animals and a protected species. The shark had been ensnaredRead more
One week to go before Slice of Heaven opens and they let me in for a quick peek at the exhibition – from the floor this time, not the bridge! The team is still busy installing and there is still lots to get finished. I’ve been working on the Slice of HeavenRead more
Te Papa’s Curator of Botany, Carlos Lehnebach, has just been awarded a Marsden Fast-Start grant for three years to answer this intriguing question. Spider Orchids are a group of terrestrial orchids that are usually found on forest floors and road banks. Their flowers are small and dull in colour, andRead more
There was a palpable air of excitement around Melbourne Museum< Australia, as people queued and tv crews jostled at the starting gate of the revamped Phar Lap display. The exhibit was officially opened by Victoria’s Minister for Racing, Hon. Rob Hulls, with speeches by Museum Victoria’s Director, Dr. Patrick Greene, andRead more
Wednesday 15 September 2010 marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the first major campaign fought entirely by airforces. Kiwi Air Vice-Marshal Sir Keith Park played an important role in the defence of London and south-east England. A statue of Sir Keith was recently unveiled in London’s Trafalgar Square inRead more
