A key principle in the scientific classification of animals, plants, and other living things is that the system of scientific names reflects their relationships. This is because there is only a single evolutionary history, and it provides an objective basis by which to name life. As we learn more aboutRead more
Today we’ve been hearing about the most recent addition to Te Papa’s scientific collections, a new colossal squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. We’re playing host to a dozen or so media representatives as well as our own live-streaming film crew, who are following intently the activity of five visiting squid scientists fromRead more
It takes a forklift, a hosepipe and several dedicated scientists to get the colossal squid from the freezer to the tank. Scientists from Te Papa and Auckland University of Technology have assembled at Te Papa to begin defrosting the colossal squid. As the squid is such a large animal, it’sRead more
On Tuesday 16th September Te Papa will be hosting a very special event. A colossal squid, recently caught in the Ross Sea, will be examined by scientists and you can watch as we live stream the action on YouTube from 11am. Our presenter will be Veronika Meduna, from Radio NewRead more
Have you heard the roars yet? We’ve had an overwhelming response to our visiting T.rex puppet Scotty! We are really lucky that Scotty has been able to visit us to help promote our forthcoming exhibition, Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family, which opens at Te Papa on September 27! We’reRead more
Colossal squid are the heaviest invertebrates on Earth, with specimens reported weighing in at 495kg – that’s nearly eight times as heavy as the average human! Despite their size, large colossal squid specimens in good condition are rarely available to scientists. That’s why scientists from Auckland University of Technology (AUT)Read more
Tai Tamariki Kindergaten have written this great article for the forthcoming ecARTnz magazine about their creative response to the two China exhibitions held recently at Te Papa. Our curators, Rebecca Rice and Justine Olsen were both blown away by the children’s work. I am sure you will be too! Tai Tamariki KindergartenRead more
For Tongan language week 2014 – Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga I have been thinking about how our Tongan collection reflects this year’s theme “Ko e Kai ia ‘a e Tonga” – “Enriching Aotearoa with Tongan Wisdom”. My first thought was of the large ngatu pepa (2007) produced by IloRead more
Te Papa is excited to announce that there’s something big – extremely big – in our freezer. It’s got eight arms and two tentacles, with some rather fearsome looking hooks. It’s got eyes the size of a soccer ball. It’s got a doughnut-shaped brain. Can you guess what it isRead more
On Sunday 24th August we celebrated the launch of our kids audio guide for visitors to the Ngā Toi / Arts Te Papa exhibition. Children’s faces lit up with excitement when they heard their voices playing in the gallery. Visitors crowded around keen to hear and parents and teachersRead more
This week is Tongan language week 2014 – Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga. The theme for this year is “Ko e Kai ia ‘a e Tonga” – “Enriching Aotearoa with Tongan Wisdom”. Te Papa’s Pacific Cultures collections have just over 1000 artefacts associated with Tonga, from art works andRead more
I need your help to identify the buildings and locations in a small selection of early cartes-de-visite photographs which are mostly of Whanganui. These photographs were taken by William Harding who operated a long running photographic studio in the city in the second half of the 19th century. Some of these buildingsRead more
It is with sadness that we farewell Helen Mason, potter, first editor of the New Zealand Potter and great friend and mentor of the craft/arts community. Helen Mason’s involvement in the arts, from the early days of the studio pottery movement to her more recent endeavours, has become legendary. HerRead more
Lissa Mitchell, Curator Historical Documentary Photography, looks at various views of Whanganui River’s famous ‘drop scene’. I want to share the journey of one image of Whanganui River taken by Dunedin photography studio and postcard publishers Muir & Moodie. This photograph has been reproduced in so many different versions thatRead more
The image above is my favourite from a WWI album with photos by NZ soldier Herbert (Bert) Green. The group seems just perfectly composed. There is also the sense of it being two photographs somehow layered together, with another scene unfolding quite independently behind the soldiers. The way the hat of theRead more
