• Tree ferns in the bush

    Read about ferns in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific

  • Mānawatia a Matariki

    There are nine stars in the Matariki star cluster. Learn about each of the stars and their connections in our Collections

Ten people standing behind the large stone ball in the foyer of Te Papa. They are all smiling at the camera.

Last year, the Public Programming team embarked on a new area of programming for kaumātua, for people over 65. This was developed in collaboration with Age Concern staff and participants from a range of their groups to create tailored experiences that provide spaces for connection, knowledge sharing, and learning. Public Programming specialist Catherine Ayres, and Public Programming specialist – Kaupapa Māori Lucy Schrader-Manuera share their reflections on the programme.Read more

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In: Behind the scenes

In the public sphere, the more ‘flashy’ parts of palaeontology tend to get all the press – excavating fossils in exotic locations and publishing new scientific discoveries. But equally important is how the fossils are cared for, so they are available for research and display, both now and long into the future.Read more

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In: Behind the scenes, Science

Curator Botany Leon Perrie was recently part of a panel that, for the first time, assessed the conservation status of all the mosses in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here, he introduces a few species you can report if you see them when you’re next mingling with moss. There are about 500Read more

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A dead fish lying on dark ashphalt.

On the morning of Thursday 16 of October, Curator Vertebrates Alan Tennyson came in and asked Curator Fishes Andrew Stewart if he knew anything about the fish lying out in the carpark up at the Tory Street building. Worried that it might be a collection item, they went out andRead more

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Humanities Technician Cassandra Bahr has been working in the Collected Archives at Te Papa, cataloguing and rehousing papers from people connected to Te Papa’s collecting areas. Here, she discusses the archive of Tony Whitaker, a renowned herpetologist who donated his collection of specimens to Te Papa. For an introduction to Tony Whitaker, read Anthony Hume Whitaker, MNZM (1944–2014) – a tribute, and to understand more of the importance of his work, see A gift of lizards – 35 years to completion.Read more

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In: Behind the scenes, Science
A sculpture made from stained kauri and nephrite, with the stone form featuring shell eyes

Kia haere mai, te atakura, he tio, he huka, he hauunga Let the red-tipped dawn come with the sharpened air, a touch of frost and the promise of a glorious day… In May this year, leading Māori artist Fred Graham was lost to us. He was a central figure inRead more

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In: Art, Māori
A giant model of a WWI nurse crying while reading a letter. There are people standing near her knees.

Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War reopened after essential maintenance on Saturday 13 September. In this blog, Education Specialist Laura Jones and Curator History Stephanie Gibson reflect together on recent changes to the exhibition and the critical thinking behind their work with students and history. Learning programmes can be an amazingRead more

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In: Behind the scenes, Education, History