Level 2
The story of New Zealand’s dramatic landscape and the part that earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the weather play in its shaping.
Level 3
How was this land turned from forests and wetlands to farms and settlements? Why were thousands of ‘alien’ plants and animals introduced and why did others become extinct? Experience the transformation with Blood, Earth, Fire!
Levels 1 and 2
A taste of New Zealand’s diverse natural environment through a living outdoor display of forest and other plants set in typical landforms.
This exhibition brings to the surface some mysterious and unique coral specimens from the New Zealand region.
Level 4
Enjoy an evocative journey through a hundred years of New Zealand history in Golden Days - a wonderful junk shop that comes to life.
Te Ara a Hine
The new installation by Lisa Reihana called Mai i te aroha, ko te aroha, meaning From love, comes love was commissioned specifically for Te Ara a Hine, internal entrance to Te Papa's Marae.
Beautiful taonga (treasures) and fascinating stories combine to create a stunning picture of Māori, the tangata whenua (original people) of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Explore New Zealand’s diverse range of plants and animals and their living places – mountains, fresh waters, forests, coasts, and the surrounding seas.
Create your vision of New Zealand with this new, state-of-the-art interactive – mix it, own it, share it.
The remarkable and moving stories of the people who have come to live in New Zealand over the last two hundred years.
Outside Te Papa entrance
Te Papa's base isolators – go underground to see what makes Te Papa a safer place for people and collections when an earthquake strikes.
An exploration of the Treaty signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Māori – its history and place in New Zealand today.
Throughout Te Papa
Outstanding individual exhibits, displayed on their own outside the exhibitions, that show unique or unusual aspects of New Zealand’s identity and history.
From Kupe to King Kapisi and bro’Town, Pacific people are putting Pacific cultures – and New Zealand – on the map. Explore their stories past and present, from the battlefield to the sports field and beyond.
Come face-to-face with Te Papa's colossal squid! Build a squid, and explore the life of one through computer interactives and a 3-D animated movie.
Te Papa’s Marae (meeting place) – focal point for pōwhiri (welcomes) and many other special events – is an outstanding example of contemporary Māori art.
Level 5
Toi Te Papa Art of the Nation showcases 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.
Mezzanine floor above Signs of a Nation, Level 4
It took 7 days to write, 7 months to sign, 170 years to debate ... and counting. TREATY 2 U is a unique exhibition that tells the story of New Zealand’s founding document.