‘This is the best picture yet painted in this country’ is how Colin McCahon described his Ruby Bay, 1945. Here, author and curator Peter Simpson talks about the growing confidence that McCahon was showing through his correspondence around the time of working on this painting.Read more
In April 2019, Te Papa acquired a rare, early oil painting by William Hodges, artist on Captain Cook’s second voyage, titled Waterfall in Dusky Bay with Maori Canoe. Here, Te Papa tour host Bill Whelen reflects upon his journeys into Dusky Sound, and finding the exact location of Te Papa’s newly acquired painting.Read more
The Associate Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Hon Grant Robertson has long been a huge fan of Colin McCahon. Here, he reveals what the artist’s Otago Peninsula in particular means to him.Read more
According to TechWomen only 26 percent of those working in New Zealand’s tech sector are women – only 4% above the world average. This statistic shocked educator Jessie Robieson who’s now making it her mission to improve these numbers.Read more
We catch up with one of the organisers of last year’s Young Feminist Hui, Olivia Trass, to find out what issues she is discussing now, one year on, and what she took away from the hui.Read more
Washing a charcoal drawing in water?! Paper conservator Jennie Cauchi takes us behind the scenes of her work to treat a 1950s drawing by Colin McCahon.Read more
Would you have the patience to spend 10 years trying to find something practically invisible? Botanist Carlos Lehnebach recently discovered his ‘holy grail’ – a collection of tiny ghost orchids in the Wellington region. Read more
Olivia Martin, a Master of Museum and Heritage practice program student at Wellington’s Victoria University, spent three months working on a placement at Te Papa. Here she describes her work on a group of photographs.Read more
Have you ever had to explain to customs at the airport what the odd-looking object is in your hand luggage? Head of Science Susan Waugh explains why she had a Hector’s dolphin skull in her carry-on.Read more
Modern Art Curator Lizzie Bisley tells us about what’s happening at Te Papa to celebrate this anniversary, and introduces us to one of her favourite McCahon paintings now on display ‘The Angel of the Annunciation’.Read more
How was the name James Bond originally chosen? Curator Invertebrates Rodrigo Salvador tells an unlikely story involving the ‘Father of Caribbean Ornithology’.Read more
Educator Martin Langdon shares our Learning Team’s 2019 Matariki kaupapa which involved collaborating with other GLAM institutions in the Wellington region so they could reach more tamariki – after all, Matariki is a time for sharing, renewal, and innovation.Read more
The classic 1960s film ‘Blow-Up’ had quite and impact on the photographers featured in our exhibition ‘The New Photography’. Here, photography curator Athol McCredie reflects on the movie, its themes, and some of the ways it connected to New Zealand photography.Read more
Awhina shares her journey and allows us an insight into the collaborative approach that she took to develop this important book.Read more
Our Earthquake House has had a makeover. It includes a new immersive video experience featuring actors Rachel House and Rākau Tamaira. Experience developer Ralph Upton describes what filming was like, and why the earthquake house had to change. Read more
