Gifting an object to Te PapaTe takoha taonga ki Te Papa

Find out how to donate or bequest an object.

All proposed gifts must go through an approval process – we cannot accept all items offered to us, although we appreciate the generosity of potential donors.

Offer an object to Te Papa

To offer an object or taonga to Te Papa, please make an appointment with a curator.

We cannot accept objects brought to Te Papa without an appointment.

Phone: (04) 381 7000

Making a financial donation?

See our support and join pages

What happens to approved gifts?

Any item accepted into the Te Papa Collection is entitled to the highest standards of professional care in conservation, storage, and security.

Change of ownership – the gift is made, in law, part of the museum’s collection.
Donor consultation – we take account of cultural sensitivities and determine appropriate ways to handle and store or display the gift.
Documentation and conservation – the gift is recorded in detail by a collection manager and, if necessary, conserved to protect it from deterioration.
Storage or display – the gift is allocated secure and appropriate storage, or placed on display.
Very few items in the museum’s collections are on permanent display. We can only show a small proportion of our collections at a time, in keeping with our exhibition programme. Also, for conservation reasons, some items can only be displayed for short periods.