Exhibitions

Exhibition now closed
19 December 2009 – 25 April 2010

Unearth the story of daily life in Pompeii in this blockbuster exhibition featuring more than 250 priceless treasures.

Exhibition now closed
8 March 2012 – 26 August 2012

Enter the Mad Men era in this exhibition showcasing Kate Coolahan's fashion illustrations – created before she became more widely known as a painter and printmaker.

Exhibition now closed
28 November 2009 – 7 November 2010

Exhibition now closed
18 October 2008 – 7 November 2010

Ronnie van Hout continues his work addressing ideas of the ‘self’ – how it is formed, and expressed.

Exhibition now closed
21 September 2002 – 26 September 2006

Experience the vibrancy, colour, and richness of an Indian wedding. Aainaa celebrates the diversity of New Zealand’s Indian communities through the customs and rituals surrounding marriage.

Exhibition now closed
20 October 2012 – 27 January 2013

Angels & Aristocrats showcases five centuries of European art, drawn from New Zealand’s finest public collections.

Exhibition now closed
11 February – 24 March 2010

Anne Frank's tragic story has affected millions of people. See her diary brought to life in this touring exhibition.

Exhibition now closed
22 September 2006 – 22 September 2007

Annie Bonza has wowed the New Zealand fashion scene for more than 50 years. See vibrant, offbeat, and award-winning works by this extraordinary fashion designer.

Exhibition now closed
29 May – 26 October 2004

Antarctic Heroes: The race to the South Pole portrays the dramatic era of Antarctic exploration and tells the epic stories of three of Antarctica’s greatest heroes – Captain Robert Scott, Roald Amundsen, and Ernest Shackleton.

Exhibition now closed
23 October 2010 – 8 May 2011

Brian Brake is arguably New Zealand’s most internationally recognised photographer of the mid-20th century.

Exhibition now closed
30 August 2012 – 27 January 2013

See the exquisite illustrations that brought Walter Buller’s iconic books to life.

Exhibition now closed
28 February – 29 March 2006

For one month only! An exhibition of superb works by some of the most famous painters in the history of modern art, made possible by the generosity of collectors Julian and Josie Robertson.

Exhibition now closed
19 August 2010 – 20 February 2011

Exhibition now closed
9 June 2011 – 29 July 2012

Collecting Contemporary presents a wide variety of New Zealand art and objects acquired by Te Papa between 2006 and the present.

Exhibition now closed
26 September 2008 – 13 September 2009

Through a fabulous array of clothes and accessories, this new exhibition explores the popularity of six colours in Western fashion from the 1800s to the present day.

Exhibition now closed
3 March – 8 October 2006

John Constable (1776–1837) was one of the greatest English landscape painters. These exhilarating works trace his remarkable career and reveal what influenced and inspired this master.

Exhibition now closed
1 December 2008 – 21 November 2010

This exhibition brings to the surface some mysterious and unique coral specimens from the New Zealand region.

Exhibition now closed
23 September 2005 – September 2006

Across the Pacific, dance costume makers are artists in fibre, recorders of history, keepers of custom, and innovators with new materials. Enter the world of Pacific dance through this rich and diverse exhibition of dance costumes and adornments.

Exhibition now closed
6 December 2003 – 21 April 2004

Take this rare opportunity to see some of the world's largest and finest dinosaur skeletons.

Exhibition now closed
28 February – 21 August 2006

A selection of drawings and prints from Te Papa’s collection featuring works dating from the late 15th to the late 18th century. All were created by artists who were Italian, or worked in Italy, or derived their subjects from Italian sources.

Exhibition now closed
19 August 2005 – 2 February 2006

From walls and windows everywhere, noble soldiers and citizens exhorted support for the war effort: Volunteer! Lend your money! Speed up production! Come and see why so many New Zealanders heeded the call.

Exhibition now closed
20 August 2009 – 15 February 2010

This vibrant selection of linocuts captures the modernist spirit of 1920s and '30s Britain.

Exhibition now closed
9 April – 26 June 2011

Here, ancestral Māori treasures from Aotearoa New Zealand stand alongside contemporary works to show the artistic depth and political aspirations of this vibrant indigenous culture.

Exhibition now closed
9 December 2006 – 29 April 2007

See the 2700-year-old mummy of Keku, and explore the mysteries of ancient Egyptian rituals for journeying to the afterlife. 

Exhibition now closed
17 September 2010 – 12 June 2011

Come and take a closer look at some of the distinctive, exquisite details in fashion.

Exhibition now closed
22 September 2011 – 4 March 2012

This important collection of European fine prints is the founding art collection of Te Papa. It is also distinguished by being the earliest European print collection to be donated to a public institution outside Europe.

Exhibition now closed
6 November 2010 – 27 February 2011

European Masters: 19th–20th century art from the Städel Museum brings together 96 remarkable masterpieces from one of the finest collections in Europe, the Städel Museum in Frankfurt.

Exhibition now closed
24 February – 19 September 2011

In the 19th century, photographers in Europe ventured to distant places, bringing back with them images to share with those who didn’t travel. These are the works in Faraway Places.

Exhibition now closed
22 February – 23 August 2007

Images of nature constrained as portrayed by two distinguished photographers: American Robert Mapplethorpe’s studio portraits of flowers contrast with Peter Black’s trees and plants in city environments.

Exhibition now closed
15 July – 1 November 2009

Thrilling, seductive, and addictive! Follow the incredible technology, see iconic cars, and discover New Zealand's Formula One heroes.

 Exhibition now closed
28 December 2012 – 28 April 2013

Featuring 100+ playable games, Game Masters celebrates the world’s most influential game designers, from arcade heroes to game changers to today’s leading indie developers.

Exhibition now closed
23 February – 4 June 2002

Henry Moore, the great British sculptor who died in 1986 aged 88, is one of the founding figures of modernist art.

Exhibition now closed
23 April – 24 July 2005

The art of drawing from one of the world’s great collections. Take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to encounter works by master artists of five centuries. You will be inspired!

Exhibition now closed
19 February – 18 August 2009

Impressions of France: French prints 1850–1900 presents a selection of etchings, lithographs, and woodcuts from Te Papa’s collection, including works by Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Camille Pissarro.

Exhibition now closed
16 August 2007 – 1 February 2008

James Nairn set the 1890s Wellington art scene alight with his ‘avant-garde’ painting methods and teaching. This delightful selection of works from Te Papa’s collection complements The Scots in New Zealand exhibition.

Exhibition now closed
3 November 2001 – 17 March 2002
7 July – 27 November 2005

This popular showcase of adornments from across the Pacific returns to Te Papa after touring New Zealand. Enjoy heritage items as well as contemporary Pacific-inspired works.

Exhibition now closed
21 May – 29 August 2004

Watercolours and photographs by a remarkable 19th century artist present a unique insight into the changing scene of colonial New Zealand.

Exhibition now closed
15 May – 29 August 2004

An art project in collaboration with a contemporary New Zealand artist renowned for making uncommon art from everyday and ready-made materials.

Exhibition now closed
8 June 2012 – 22 October 2012

Explore the world's largest collection of Māori cloaks and experience cloak-making as a living art form.

Exhibition now closed
06 September 2003 – 1 August 2004

An intimate glimpse of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s life and career through her dresses, opera costumes, personal memorabilia, photographs, and film footage.

Exhibition now closed
17 October 2009 – 10 July 2011

Pounamu is a stone of exceptional beauty, strength, and spiritual presence. This evocative exhibition explores pounamu’s enduring value.

Exhibition now closed
21 August 2008 – 9 February 2009

This exhibition reveals the life and work of this renowned Samoan typographer. It celebrates the artistry and passion of a man who lives in New Zealand but whose original typefaces are used worldwide.

Exhibition now closed
17 October 2001 – 13 April 2008

How New Zealand has developed its distinctive visual and material culture.

Exhibition now closed
14 February 1998 – June 2007

A celebration of Pacific people and their cultures both in the Pacific islands and New Zealand.

Exhibition now closed
21 September – 22 December 2007

See gorgeous wool garments presented to New Zealand audiences by this brilliant creative promoter of wool. Revisit the glamour of an era in designs by fashion luminaries such as Pierre Balmain, Marcel Rochas, Hardy Amies, and Victor Steibel. 

Exhibition now closed
4 December 2010 – 21 November 2012

Discover the intriguing story of Māori matau (fish-hooks) – from ingenious tool to ornament, souvenir, and symbol of cultural revival.

Exhibition now closed
25 August – 23 September 2012

Te Papa is delighted to announce a special one-month programme to coincide with the showing of Michael Parekowhai’s 2011 Venice Biennale exhibition, On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer.

Exhibition now closed
8 July 2006 – 9 August 2009

Ngāi Tahu Whānui invite you to celebrate their past and present, their values, and their vision for the future. Mō Tātou celebrates the distinct and dynamic culture of the South Island's Ngāi Tahu people.

Exhibition now closed
14 February – 17 May 2009

This is a rare chance to see some of the world’s most famous and best-loved Impressionist paintings, including Claude Monet's Water lilies, Haystacks, and Meadow with poplars.

Exhibition now closed
5 June – 16 November 2008

Experience this international contemporary art exhibition exploring the future of the environment. Featuring works by Ralph Hotere and Bill Culbert, Mounir Fatmi, Bill Viola, Geoff Dixon, and Susan Norrie.

Exhibition now closed
26 February – 15 August 2010

Te Papa brings you fresh and exciting artworks direct from the prestigious Venice Biennale 2009. Judy Millar's Giraffe-Bottle-Gun and Francis Upritchard's Save Yourself are powerful new works by two of New Zealand’s finest contemporary artists.

Exhibition now closed
16 July 2005 – 5 March 2006

New Zealand in Bloom introduces the work of Bernard Roundhill, founding father of commercial art in New Zealand. In creating some of our most famous brands, Roundhill also helped to shape our national identity.

Exhibition now closed
24 June 2011 – 16 September 2012

This exhibition draws its inspiration directly from the pages of Vogue New Zealand. It showcases garments from top New Zealand designers, and those made here under licence from the world's leading fashion houses, such as Christian Dior.

Exhibition now closed
22 October 2003 – 25 April 2005

Out of the creation stories of fire, water, and earth, five leading Māori artists create powerful new works in clay.

Exhibition now closed
13 February – 18 April 2010

These 50 fossils, including two giant ones, are like time capsules, showing our rich and diverse past.

Exhibition now closed
6 August–6 November 2011

This exhibition will explore how Pacific, Māori and European people responded to each other through their encounters in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Exhibition now closed
18 October 2008 – 7 June 2009

Seung Yul Oh’s project is a playful collection of five egg-shaped birds that rock and chime.

Exhibition now closed
14 February 1998 – 23 April 2007

An entertaining take on the history and culture of New Zealand’s sheep farming, shearing, and wool industry.

Exhibition now closed
19 November 2004 – 30 May 2005

The 1970s – a decade of immense change in New Zealand! This exhibition explores the social and political forces that moulded these sometimes turbulent years – along with the eye-popping fashions, earthy handcrafts, and art.

Exhibition now closed
24 August 2006 – 24 August 2007

Luminous watercolours from Te Papa’s collection.

Exhibition now closed
19 June – 12 September 2010

An exhibition focusing on the medium of tapa cloth, a distinctive and beautiful art form that has been practised across the Pacific for centuries.

Exhibition now closed
12 June 2010 – 1 July 2012

Enter the world of New Zealand master potter Peter Stichbury (born 1924), whose experiences in England and Africa have shaped a remarkable career spanning more than fifty years. 

Exhibition now closed
5 November 2005 – 23 May 2010

A toast rack made of boar tusks? From the bizarre to the beautiful, from raw metal to treasured possessions, Precious Metals reveals New Zealand’s gold and silver treasures and their fascinating stories.

Exhibition now closed
13 November 2004 – 6 May 2007

An encounter with the life and style of a vibrant community.

Exhibition now closed
19 September 2009 – 11 April 2010

Architects, engineers and designers are all looking for ways to save energy and make buildings more sustainable.

Exhibition now closed
5 July – 5 October 2008

An exhibition of 200 works by this iconic and much-loved New Zealand artist.

Exhibition now closed
24 September 2004 – 1 September 2005

An exotic Kashmir wrap or a delicate silk stole – the shawl has adorned and warmed women for more than two centuries. This exhibition showcases exquisite shawls selected from Te Papa’s extensive History Textiles Collection.

Exhibition now closed
22 November 2003 – 17 October 2004

This exhibition explores how people express spiritual beliefs and supernatural experiences through visual culture.

Exhibition now closed
10 July – 30 October 2005

This exhibition gives audiences an opportunity to see an exciting and diverse range of contemporary New Zealand art. Jointly curated by City Gallery Wellington and Te Papa, Small World, Big Town includes work by 28 New Zealand artists, drawn from the Te Papa visual art collections.

Exhibition now closed
11 December 2004 – 29 March 2005

Bring the family to experience the extraordinary world of space exploration! Fly a space shuttle simulator, fire a rocket, and be amazed by the latest photographs from the Cassini mission to Saturn.

Exhibition now closed
4 March – 30 April 2006

A spectacular showcase of Japanese art and culture, surveying some 5000 years of Japan’s history, and giving a taste of the beauty, elegance, and delicacy that characterise Japanese life.

Exhibition now closed
16 July 2005 – 15 January 2006

Stamped celebrates 150 years since New Zealand’s first stamps were created. Discover the stories behind rare and beautiful items, including from the Royal Philatelic Collection – some never before seen in New Zealand.

Exhibition now closed
25 September 2009 – 5 September 2010

This exhibition celebrates the fine workmanship and beautiful decoration of tapa (bark cloth) from many islands.

Exhibition now closed
February 1998 – August 1999

Te Ātiawa discussed the legends of the very early people named Te Kāhui Maunga (the Assembly of Mountains) and their association with Te Upoko o Te Ika a Māui (the south of the North Island).

Exhibition now closed
August 1999 – October 2001

Te Aupouri Iwi: People of smoke and flame was the iwi exhibition of the tenacious Te Aupouri tribe from the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand.

This exhibition now closed
29 November 2003 – 1 May 2006

In partnership with Te Papa, Whanganui iwi present stories and taonga (treasures) from their unique Whanganui river culture, from Te Kāhui Maunga (the mountain clan) to Tangaroa (the sea).

Exhibition now closed
22 April 2005 – 22 April 2008

A VW van and a pine plantation on Te Papa’s roof? Experience The Big O.E. – a dramatic installation by Michael Parekowhai.

Exhibition now closed
03 September 2005 – 23 January 2006

Designer babies! Gene therapy! GE food! Explore The Genetic Revolution! Immerse yourself in these extraordinary developments and possibilities – and the dilemmas and debates arising from them.

Exhibition now closed
18 February – 16 August 2010

This small exhibition of watercolours and prints presents a visual record of European journeys made by 18th and 19th century British artists.

Exhibition now closed
18 August 2007 – 21 February 2010

An exhibition celebrating one of the most energetic migrant groups in the country’s history. From church-building to whisky-making, from art to engineering, see how the Scots have made their mark on New Zealand life.

Exhibition now closed
14 February 1998 – 13 January 2008

The Time Warp is an interactive and entertaining highlight at Te Papa. Take rides into New Zealand’s past or future, and experience the thrill of a virtual bungy jump and other classic Kiwi outdoor activities.

Exhibition now closed
14 February – 1 August 2008

Theo Schoon was a notable figure in 20th century New Zealand art. In 2001, Te Papa purchased his archive of work. This selection showcases Schoon’s artistry and reveals the extraordinary range of his interests.

Exhibition now closed
Long-term exhibition, closed 27 January 2013

Toi Te Papa Art of the Nation showcased more than 300 impressive artworks – both historical and contemporary – from Te Papa’s collections. Experience the richness and diversity of New Zealand’s artistic heritage.

Exhibition now closed
26 August 2004 – 1 February 2005

Looks at New Zealand painter Toss Woollaston’s early years and his key relationships during that time. This intimate exhibition has been organised to coincide with the October publication by Te Papa Press of Toss Woollaston: A Life in Letters.

Exhibition now closed
Long-term exhibition

It took 7 days to write, 7 months to sign, 170 years to debate ... and counting. TREATY 2U is a unique exhibition that tells the story of New Zealand’s founding document.

Exhibition now closed
November 2001 – November 2003

Ngāi Tūhoe contributed to the exhibition content, narratives, and taonga.

Exhibition now closed
17 December 2011 – 22 April 2012

This exhibition shows 200 years of gorgeous wedding fashion, featuring dresses from one of the world’s most superb collections – that of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Exhibition now closed
20 December 2008 – 26 July 2009

This provocative exhibition presents artworks that explore identity, gender, sexuality, and mythology, and challenge our ideas about how we represent ourselves.

Exhibition now touring internationally
1 December 2007 – 11 May 2008

Encounter the underwater world of whales. Explore their lifestyles and amazing biology. And discover how the world of whales and people connect – in story and in fact, at sea and on land.

Exhibition now closed
12 March – 1 October 2003
23 June 2004 – 22 June 2005

Explore the patterns and forms of your environment through a rich selection of photographs, objects, and artworks. This exhibition celebrates design in the natural world and reveals its influences and reflections in human art and design.

Exhibition now closed
22 August 2003 – 25 April 2004

A dynamic and interactive exhibition that presents the mysteries and marvels of flight in the natural world.