Collection managementTe whakahaere kohikohinga

Get best-practice advice on how to manage your collections – from digitising to disaster planning.

Cyclone Gabrielle impact

We’re thinking of all of those people, whānau and organisations impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. This large-scale event will have an effect on a number of collecting organisations across the North Island, there are some resources listed here.

A black and white photo of a man on a horse and cart crossing a flooded roadway.

Disaster preparedness and recovery

Protecting people, buildings and collections is a priority for kaitiaki | caretakers of collections. This means actively preparing for disasters, by understanding and managing the risks.

A dark red 1850s dress on a mannequin with a white background

Display of Textile Garments

Historical garments are a collection object that instantly creates a connection with visitors, as they are everyday objects that tangibly illustrate the values, habits, social status, working and recreational lives of the people who wore them.

Share your collections online

Find a bigger audience. Join Kōtuia ngā Kete and share your collections with special-interest groups.

Firearm safety in museums

It is important for firearms in museum collections to be catalogued, stored, handled and displayed in a way that ensures the safety of visitors, kaimahi and volunteers. On this page, learn about the legal requirements as outlined by the Firearms Safety Authority and how you can meet these obligations.

Art Storeroom. Photograph by Michael Hall. Te Papa

Managing collections

Learn about managing your collection, from your acquisition policy to cataloguing and insurance.

Conservation guidelines

Learn how to care for your collections and report their condition.

Camera, 1946-1957, England, by Eastman Kodak Company. Gift of Mrs W G Conroy, 1999. CC BY-NC-ND licence. Te Papa (GH009092)

Digitising collections

Find out how to digitise your collection items to increase access and support preservation.

Detail from repatriation ceremony, Te Papa, 2014. Photography by Michael Hall. Te Papa

Collection management: Repatriation guide

The purpose of this resource guide is to provide museums with a foundation from which to develop their own practices and policies around repatriation of kōiwi tangata (human remains).

Samurai armour (Sendai-do no Gusoku), 1735, Japan, by Muneyoshi of the House of Myouchin. Acquisition history unknown. CC BY-NC-ND licence. Te Papa (FE010354)

Borrowing and lending objects

Manage your institution’s incoming and outgoing object loans.