Another extinct bird: Northland’s unique shag
Curator of vertebrates Alan Tennyson discusses another previously unknown New Zealand bird extinction, published in a new article today. Read more
2017-08-14
In photos: Giant eggs, tiny eggs, and the eggceptionally rare
Bird expert Colin Miskelly highlights some of the treasures in our egg collection, including those thought to be held only by Te Papa – as well as giant moa eggs, tiny rifleman eggs, and eggs that were acquired during dramatic events in New Zealand’s conservation history.Read more
2017-08-08
Language, culture, and the impact of ‘Slavers in Paradise’
Curator Pacific Cultures Rachel Yates takes a look at the book Slavers in Paradise, and a lesser-known episode of Cook Islands and Pacific history.Read more
2017-08-04
Another extinct bird: New Zealand’s prehistoric swan
Curator of vertebrates, Alan Tennyson, discusses new findings published today that New Zealand and the Chatham Islands had their own unique prehistoric swan. Read more
2017-07-26
Hei maumaharatanga: Cliff Whiting – artist, educator, rangatira
When I spoke to a cousin of mine about Cliff Whiting’s recent passing, she talked about the first work of his she had ever seen.Read more
2017-07-24
Cliff Whiting: Visionary, innovator, tohunga, teacher, scholar, master artist
It is with enormous sadness that Te Papa acknowledges the passing of Cliff Whiting (6 May 1936–16 July 2017).Read more
2017-07-20
Buongiorno! Ecco l’arte italiana! Italian Art at Te Papa
Ciao a tutti! Dr Mark Stocker, Curator Historical International Art, takes a look at some of the fascinating and beautiful Italian art that’s in Te Papa’s collection. Marco’s journey takes us from Venice to Naples, and through 300 years of history. Read more
2017-07-20
Meeting a man I will never know: Jonathan Mane-Wheoki
Ruby Abraham, a Museum and Heritage Studies student at Victoria University, has spent the last five weeks on placement at Te Papa working intimately with the archive donated by Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (1943-2014).Read more
2017-07-18
Putting the pieces back together after the earthquake
Charlotte Jimenez, an intern from the Institut National du Patrimoine in Paris, has spent the last three months putting more than 250 pieces of the plaster tauihu back together. Here she explains the intricate process.Read more
2017-07-11
Old new money: New Zealand’s decimal currency turns 50
History curator Kirstie Ross looks back 50 years to July 1967 when the contents of New Zealanders’ pockets and purses changed radically after the country shifted from pounds, shillings, and pence – to dollars and cents.Read more
2017-07-10
A little mystery – ‘The Sisters’ and the cabinet card photograph
Lissa Mitchell, Curator Historical Photography uses her detective skills to uncover the full story behind a late-1880s photograph.Read more
2017-07-07
Award-winning garments from the rag pile
Before you throw out your tired bits of clothing, consider giving them new life through upcycling. Senior history curator Claire Regnault highlights a collection of garments acquired by Te Papa in 2015 that are made from material originally destined for landfill.Read more
2017-07-06
Remembering New Zealand artist Guy Ngan (1926-2017)
Athol McCredie, Curator of Photography, pays tribute to artist Guy Ngan, whose works adorn buildings and public spaces around the country. We note with regret that New Zealand artist Guy Ngan passed away at age 91 on Monday 26 June. Ngan is an artist whose work you probably know, even thoughRead more
2017-06-30
Conversations with my grandmother through crochet
Sosefina Andy is the first recipient of our Helen Hitchings scholarship for postgraduate fine art students. Here she explains the origins of her methodology and what inspires her work. My art teacher in high school, Ms. Karanga, was my first art critic. I started to slowly develop an interest inRead more
2017-06-30
The heaviest, smallest, oldest, and smelliest books in our library
Our Research Librarian Martin Lewis, aka @RareBookGuy, takes a look at some of the more unusual questions he has received on tours of the Te Papa library collection.Read more
2017-06-29