What’s on at Te Papa
Dinosaurs of Patagonia | Ngā Taniwha o Rūpapa
Meet the astonishing dinosaurs of Patagonia, South America – including Patagotitan, one of the most massive creatures ever to walk the planet. Encounter life-sized casts, and real fossils up to 230 million years old. Get hands-on with models, and create your own virtual dino!
On now
16 Dec 2023 – 28 Apr 2024
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
Remembering Dawn Raids – 50 years on
What’s new on our website
Nancy Adams: Botanist and artist
Nancy Adams (1926–2007) was one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most notable botanists and a talented artist. One of Te Papa’s most prolific botany collectors of all time, she also painted and drew an incredible number of botanical illustrations. She used her artwork to produce important books about Aotearoa New Zealand’s flora, including seaweeds, flowers, trees, and alpine plants.
Growing up – toys, treasures, and TV
What do children care about? What do they play with? How do they learn? How can museums represent the experiences of young people? Included here are stories exploring what it is like to grow up in Aotearoa New Zealand, and objects showing how childhoods have changed.
What we’re researching
Portraits of the Wellington Indian community
We are kaitiaki (caretakers) of many photographic portraits featuring members of Wellington’s Indian community and would like to identify the people in these portraits and learn something about their lives here, and to reconnect them with their descendants. Do you recognise any of the names or faces in this collection?
Mapping the Sāmoa Collection
This project aims to enhance museum catalogue records and develop digital maps to contextualise taonga; enhancing their visibility and improving associated biographies, which then allows communities to utilise and share these resources, as well as support museum collections and knowledge.
Kia kaha te reo Māori
The value of te reo Māori
'The first time a baby was born in this country, te reo Māori was the language; the first time lovers fell in love, and fell out of love, te reo Māori was the language; the first time conflict occurred and was resolved, te reo Māori was the language.’ Dr Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal shares his kōrero about the value of te reo Māori in Aotearoa.
Editor’s picks
Trans Past, Trans Present: The Making Trans Histories Project
Trans people from their teens to their 70s were asked to identify objects of personal importance and to share the objects’ stories. What emerged was a quirky collection that is a testament to the diversity of trans experiences, and which disrupts established (and cis-written) narratives about trans lives.
Asian Mental Health
Many individuals from Asian diasporas in Aotearoa New Zealand have consistently called for a greater focus on mental health issues. This project responds to this call and aims to highlight various discussions, understandings, and perspectives on mental health of Asian communities in Aotearoa.
Chinese Languages in Aotearoa
Chinese Languages in Aotearoa is an ongoing project using language to highlight complex issues of cultural identity within various Chinese New Zealand communities. It begins with a series of videos, of people sharing stories of their connection to their heritage Chinese languages, speaking in Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese, and Hakka.