A new bird for New Zealand – collared petrel
Why did it take eight years for the sighting to be accepted? Te Papa curator Colin Miskelly tells the story of New Zealand’s first collared petrel.Read more
2019-07-11
Snails share their secrets
Te Papa holds a surprising treasure trove of tropical land snails in its collection. These snails have important biological data to share, but remained overlooked for the last century – until Rodrigo Salvador became interested…Read more
2019-07-09
Old fishes telling new stories
Some of the fishes in our collection were collected over 100 years ago. Fish Collection Manager Andrew Stewart explains how these ‘time capsules of data’ are central in current research.Read more
2019-06-27
Coming to ‘The New Photography’
Photography Curator Athol McCredie’s new book The New Photography: New Zealand’s first-generation contemporary photographers has just been published by Te Papa Press. It is accompanied by an exhibition that runs until 13 October. The book and exhibition feature eight photographers who were working in a personal documentary manner from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.Read more
2019-06-26
Moa vs Superman: Poignant extinction lessons via a 1970s comic
‘This Superman story is actually a great portrayal of an extinct species and its tragic fate at the hands of humankind.’ Science researcher Rodrigo Salvador tells us more.Read more
2019-06-14
Remembering Roger Blackley (1953–2019)
New Zealand art historian and curator, Roger Blackley, passed away on the 15 May 2019. Here, Rebecca Rice acknowledges his legacy.Read more
2019-06-11
Over-looked for a century: Macquarie Island shag added to the New Zealand list
‘Presumably no-one bothered to check till now whether Ogilvie-Grant knew one shag from another.’ Curator Colin Miskelly shares his research resulting in the addition of a new (or old) bird to the official New Zealand bird list.Read more
2019-06-10
Using museum collections to solve the Pink and White Terraces mystery
Scientist and aspiring field art historian George Hook shares his story on how he applied new methodology to help pin down the location of the iconic Pink and White Terraces, lost to the world with the Mt Tarawera eruption of 1886.Read more
2019-06-05
A new tree fern – or an unexpected hybrid?
In 2015, ecologists Chris Stowe and Claire Newell found a strange fern during a vegetation survey in Whirinaki Forest, in the eastern North Island. They sent a frond to Te Papa’s fern experts Leon Perrie and Patrick Brownsey, who were also puzzled. This fern was clearly a Dicksonia tree fern but didn’t match any known species. Was it a new species?Read more
2019-05-27
What would Māui do? Playing with tough topics in Te Taiao | Nature
How do you make topics like climate change and water pollution accessible and fun? Is it ok for Te Papa to take a playful approach to such serious territory? Experience Developers Jen Craddock and Ralph Upton explain how the team took on this challenge, using mischief-maker Māui as their guide.Read more
2019-05-22
How a retirement hobby has led to an expert eye for liverworts
Te Papa research associate Peter Beveridge (87) is having a very busy retirement. He recently described a new species of liverwort. Te Papa science researcher Lara Shepherd talked to Peter about how he came to be interested in these fascinating tiny plants.Read more
2019-05-20
Remembering Tā Hekenukumaingaiwi Puhipi Busby
Te Papa mourns the loss of a beacon for mātauranga Māori, Tā Hekenukumaingaiwi (usually shortened to Hekenukumai) Puhipi Busby, known affectionately as Hek.Read more
2019-05-15
Is there a culture of exclusion in museums?
Puawai Cairns, Kaihāpai Mātauranga Māori | Head of Mātauranga Māori, looks at the nuances of language and how ‘diversity denial’ can exclude the communities you’re trying to embrace.Read more
2019-05-07
A nature wonderland at Norfolk Island
Head of Science Susan Waugh describes her trip to Phillip Island, a few kilometres offshore from Norfolk Island, to study the Kermadec petrel.Read more
2019-04-12
Remembering artist Bill Culbert, 1935–2019
New Zealand expatriate artist Bill Culbert passed away on 28 March 2019. Here, curator of photography Athol McCredie, and Curator of Modern & Contemporary Māori & Indigenous Art, Megan Tamati-Quennell, reflect on some aspects of Culbert’s work. Read more
2019-04-09