The next Science Live @ Te Papa event on Friday 16 May reveals the secret world of ferns. Join botany curator Leon Perrie live online to find out what makes these Kiwi emblems special. Plus, can you help to make a scientific discovery? Tune into Science Live: Secret World ofRead more

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Ferns are an integral part of New Zealand’s environment and culture. Tune in to our Science Live broadcast on Friday 16 May to learn about what makes these Kiwi emblems special. Plus, can you help to make a scientific discovery? Find out about ferns live online with curator Leon PerrieRead more

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Over the summer, Sharon Taylor-Offord completed an internship at Te Papa cataloguing the drawings in a number of sketchbooks of the Dutch-New Zealand artist, Petrus van der Velden.  This was undertaken as part of a new internship course for Bachelor of Arts students run by the Faculty of Humanities &Read more

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Copy of a portrait of two unidentified soldiers [inscribed Johnson]; 1914-1920; Berry & Co

At Te Papa, photos of 30 unidentified World War soldiers are on display in The Berry Boys: Naming the Kiwi faces of War. These men had their photographs taken at the Berry & Co studio sometime during the war, but we no longer know who they are. The soldier subjectsRead more

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Portrait of an unidentified soldier and three unidentified women inscribed Brown, 1914-1919, Wellington. Berry & Co. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa

Today, The Berry Boys: Naming the Kiwi faces of World War I opened at Te Papa on level 4. Part of this intimate exhibition explains how we have used uniform badges to help us identify some of the soldiers photographed by Berry & Co. But some of the portraits in theRead more

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and George left New Zealand this afternoon for Sydney, Australia. The Cambridge’s departure was less scenic than the Duke’s grandparents’ at the end of January 1954. On that occasion, just over 60 years ago, the royal yacht, the SS Gothic, made an unscheduled visit to MilfordRead more

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When Prince George had his New Zealand playdate on 9 April his romper suit with sailboat smocked on the front, inspired parents to rush out and buy up the outfit by British designer Rachel Riley. Like many royals before his clothing both inspires and reflects the fashions of the time. A baby’sRead more

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In 1901 the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall & York, the future King George V and Queen Mary (for more on this royal couple see Mark Stocker’s post from last week), toured the Southern Hemisphere to thank commonwealth countries for sending troops to support Britain in the Boer War. AsRead more

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Out of all of the Royal memorabilia circulating in the world my favourite items tend to be home made. ‘Fanmade’ objects always resonate with me more than commercially produced souvenirs –infused as they often are with love and obsession. In 2012 the Merrick Girls gifted Te Papa a cushion,  intensely embroidered byRead more

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Here is the perfect indoors game for a rainy day during a royal visit. Produced in the 1800s, its playing instructions are long gone. But you can still test yourself to see how many British sovereigns you can name, from William the Conqueror to Queen Victoria.    Read more

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Stephanie Gibson, Te Papa’s Curator of Contemporary Life & Culture writes: It was with great sadness last week that I read about the demise of royal visit souvenirs (‘No royal knick-knacks thanks, we’re Kiwis’, The Dominion Post, 1 April 2014). According to the journalist ‘tacky royal collectibles are becoming relicsRead more

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