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Long-term exhibitions
Based on a photograph by Glenn Jowitt, Double Afro, 1981
Tangata o le Moana: The story of Pacific people in New Zealand

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.

 
Toi Te Papa
Toi Te Papa Art of the Nation

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.




Blood Earth Fire | Whāngai Whenua Ahi KāThe transformation of Aotearoa New Zealand

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!

 

Awesome Forces

The story of New Zealand’s dramatic landscape and the part that earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the weather play in its shaping.



Bush City
Bush City

A taste of New Zealand’s diverse natural environment through a living outdoor display of forest and other plants set in typical landforms.

 

The Marae | Te Marae

Te Papa’s Marae (meeting place) - focal point for pōwhiri (welcomes) and many other special events - is an outstanding example of contemporary Māori art.



Mana Whenua
Mana Whenua

Beautiful taonga (treasures) and fascinating stories combine to create a stunning picture of Māori, the tangata whenua (original people) of Aotearoa New Zealand.

 
Mountains to Sea
Mountains to Sea

Explore New Zealand’s diverse range of plants and animals and their living places - mountains, fresh waters, forests, coasts, and the surrounding seas.




Golden Days

Enjoy an evocative journey through a hundred years of New Zealand history in Golden Days - a wonderful junk shop that comes to life.

 
Passports
Passports

The remarkable and moving stories of the people who have come to live in New Zealand over the last two hundred years.



Signs of a Nation
Signs of a Nation | Ngā Tohu Kotahitanga

An exploration of the Treaty signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Māori - its history and place in New Zealand today.

 
Quake Braker
Quake Braker

Te Papa's base isolators - go underground to see what makes Te Papa a safer place for people and collections when an earthquake strikes.



Stand Alone Exhibitions
Stand-alone Exhibits

Outstanding individual exhibits, displayed on their own outside the exhibitions, that show unique or unusual aspects of New Zealand’s identity and history.

 

Mai i te aroha, ko te aroha, Lisa Reihana 

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.




Te Papa also has a varied and exciting programme of short-term exhibitions. Click here to see what is currently showing.