Clever Crustaceans

An illustration of blue water with silhouettes of two crustaceans on it

Clever CrustaceansMawhiti Tino Rawe

Discover crustaceans’ smart survival tricks in a mini exhibition with real specimens and hands-on interactives. Created in collaboration with NIWA Taihoro Nukurangi.

***

Toroa ngā tino tikanga ora ā te mawhiti i tētahi whakaaturanga iti he tauira tūturu he mahi pāhekoheko mā te ringa kei roto. He mea waihanga tahi me NIWA Taihoro Nukurangi.

When | Āhea

22 May – 21 Aug 2023

Where | Ki hea

Te Papa Hui | The Back Yard, Te Taiao | Nature, Level 2

Cost | Te utu

Free

Ages | TE REANGA

All ages

Allow | ME WHAKARITE

15 minutes

Accessibility | E wātea ana ki

Wheelchair accessible
Tactile, opportunities to touch
Natural light

Crabs, lobsters, shrimp – they’re Aotearoa New Zealand’s most famous crustaceans. Now meet the wider gang, from barnacles with superglue to slaters in the backyard. Explore the unique features of five marine crustaceans, and take a dive into their world.

Activities

Clever Crustaceans activity book

Crustaceans come in all shapes and sizes – from huge king crabs to tiny sand hoppers! Get to know them through movement, storytelling, puzzles, and more!

Discover moreKia kitea ake

A see through crustacean inside a see through sea creature.

Parasitic Crustacea: Villains or super-savvy survivors?

All animals, human beings included, rely on other animals for survival, forming relationships of symbiotic co-existence. But some creatures take this reliance to ghoulish heights. We call them parasites.

Crustaceans: The Swiss Army knife of life

Crustaceans are like the Swiss Army knife of life, revealing an appendage for any occasion. Multifunctionality is the crustacean M.O., with their limbs cleverly turning to just about any task.

A man in a wetsuit is holding a crayfish up in front of himself. He is looking at the camera.

Traditional knowledge and the kōura nursery cycle

Exhibition experience developer Dan Parke spoke with Tamati Stevens a kairangahau (researcher), kairuku (diver) and educator specialising in rocky reef ecosystems.

Meet the carcinologists: Rick Webber

Carcinologists are the people who study the world of crustacea. In this series, they talk about the captivating creatures they love – creatures that as it turns out live all around us…

A woman standing on a step ladder at the end of a row of shelves with fish specimens in jars on the shelves.

Meet the carcinologists: Rachael Peart

Carcinologists are the people who study the world of crustacea. In this series, they talk about the captivating creatures they love – creatures that as it turns out live all around us…

A woman's head and hand holding a small lobster up to the camera. The lobster is in focus and she is blurry.

Meet the carcinologists: Kareen Schnabel

Carcinologists are the people who study the world of crustacea. In this series, they talk about the captivating creatures they love – creatures that as it turns out live all around us…

Crustaceans of Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific

Crustacea includes lobsters, crabs, shrimps, prawns, hoppers, wood lice, water fleas, and several other groups. Most crustaceans live in the sea but some are found in freshwater or on land. The one thing they all need to survive is water, or at least a moist habitat.