A weekend of art and fashion in Wellington and Tauranga
Senior Curator New Zealand History Claire Regnault previews events at Te Papa this weekend, and a new exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery, bringing together fashion and art.Read more
2018-07-11
The southern right stuff: Photographing Wellington’s whale
When a southern right whale captured the imagination of Wellington last week with a bout of acrobatics in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington Harbour), Imaging Specialist Jean-Claude Stahl was there with his camera to capture some pretty epic moments. Here, he shares them and sheds some light on our new best friend.Read more
2018-07-11
When does success look like failure? The important lessons found in robotics
If you were a fly on the wall in the Robotics After School Club, you would see a messy, noisy room of kids and the facilitators bouncing around like bearings in a pinball machine. Learning Innovation Special Donald James talks about learning through failing.Read more
2018-07-04
Goggle-eyed dogū: Pre-historic Japan at Te Papa
Science Researcher Rodrigo Salvador spends most of his working hours studying snails, but his interest spans much further afield. Here, he discusses one of his favourite ‘weird’ objects in our history collection – a goggle-eyed figurine from pre-historic Japan.Read more
2018-06-28
Inspiring stories about NZ women photographers – Louisa Herrmann (1864-1955)
In 1892, the year before Louisa Herrmann signed the Women’s suffrage petition, her life was turned upside down. Louisa’s is an inspiring story for girls of all ages. Curator Historical Photography Lissa Mitchell shares her story.Read more
2018-06-26
Mastering the art of interpretation: What exactly does ‘toi’ mean?
Does ‘Toi’ mean ‘art’ and ‘art’ mean ‘toi’? Māori Writer Ranea Aperahama explains the origins and significance of the word ‘toi’.Read more
2018-06-20
Bush-bashing and bogs: Botanical hunting in the North Island
In December 2017, Te Papa Botanist Heidi Meudt was on the hunt for some uncommon forget-me-nots in two very special places in the central North Island.Read more
2018-06-19
A passion for precision: Remembering Milan Mrkusich (1925-2018)
It is with sadness that Te Papa acknowledges the passing last week of New Zealand artist Milan Mrkusich (1925–2018).Read more
2018-06-19
The story behind the Ko Rongowhakaata typeface
The typeface used in the exhibition ‘Ko Rongowhakaata: The Story of Light and Shadow’ was developed in 2017. But its origins date back to the early 1800s, and is intimately connected to the iwi. Here is its story.Read more
2018-06-18
Crabzilla! Our terrifying coconut crab is watching you
A crab that can break coconuts, grows as big as a dog, steals anything that isn’t nailed down, and enjoys a tickle. Crab expert Rick Webber introduces us to the largest land-living arthropod in the world.Read more
2018-06-14
Cigars, gin, and boredom: The strange world of Walter Sickert
Art Curator Mark Stocker, looks at the remarkable life and personality of artist Walter Sickert, and focuses on one of his famous etchings Ennui (1915).Read more
2018-06-02
Women’s rights are human rights: Collecting protest objects
Women activists have produced a rich trail of protest objects including the ‘monster’ suffrage petition of 1893. History Curator Stephanie Gibson highlights some memorable objects of the Women’s Marches held on 21 January 2017.Read more
2018-06-01
What remains: When photos capture fleeting nature of time
Collections Data Technician Gareth Watkins finds a series of photographs from the 1800s where a combination of movement and long exposure has created unusual, ghostly scenes.Read more
2018-06-01
The secrets found on the backs of paintings
Accompanying the portrait wall in Tūrangawaewae: Art and New Zealand are digital interactives that allow you to dive deeper into the conservation efforts that prepared the paintings for exhibition, and reveal hidden histories. Conservator Paintings Linda Waters writes about what the back of a painting can tell you.Read more
2018-05-31
Reassembling bones: How to build a Hector’s dolphin
Navigating brittle bones and teeth the size of rice, Thomas Schultz, Collection Manager Science, reflects on putting a Hector’s dolphin back together for an exhibition that would tour North America for ten years.Read more
2018-05-28