Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Our exciting programme of ngā kaupapa motuhake runs all year. Watch song and dance performances, join in with kids activities and cultural days, hear from our experts, and much more.
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Join Te Papa Press for this free event that will deep dive into the history, significant figures and contemporary developments in botanical art and illustration.
This event is at Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui | Wellington’s Central Library.
Tue 26 May 2026, 5.30pm to 6.30pm
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
Celebrate Matariki – the beginning of the New Year in Aotearoa New Zealand, marked by the rising of the Matariki star cluster.
Open now
23 Apr - 19 Jul 2026
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
Matariki Herenga Waka, the theme of this year’s celebrations, acknowledges the stories, traditions, and mātauranga (knowledge) carried by waka (canoes), and the voyages that bring people together.
A free, interactive drop-in session for tamariki aged 5 and under. This month learn about Matariki and waka navigation.
Fri 19 Jun 2026, 10am to 12pm
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
Ka wānanga ngā kaumoana o Ngahiraka-Mai-Tawhiti mō te whakatere waka – te nehe, te nāianei, me te anamata.
The Ngahiraka-Mai-Tawhiti crew kōrero (talk) about waka (canoe) voyaging – past, present, and future.
This kōrero will be mainly in te reo Māori with some English.
Wed 24 Jun 2026, 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
An adults-only celebration of the stories, traditions, and mātauranga (knowledge) shared between Aotearoa New Zealand and Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, the wider Pacific.
Thu 2 Jul 2026, 7.30pm to 11pm
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
Come together to celebrate Matariki with free whānau-friendly activities, workshops, and activities.
Fri 10 Jul 2026, 10am to 2pm
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
A high tea to delight your eyes and taste buds.
Daily sessions at 10:30am, 11am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2pm, and 2:30pm.
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
Experienced guide at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, the Royal Academy and Greenwich, Rosalind Whyte will introduce you to the drama of the life and the art of the famous Italian painter of his time, Caravaggio.
Sun 17 May, 4pm–5pm
Zoom in on the artworks and stories in Toi Art, with a 15-minute tour guided by Te Papa’s knowledgeable hosts.
Wednesdays and Sundays, 11 to 11.15am
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
The King of Denmark is dead, and Prince Hamlet is determined to take revenge, initiating a cascade of events that will destroy both family and state. Eddie Izzard will be portraying men, women, ghosts, scholars, tyrants, courtiers, lovers, and fools.
Tue 21 Jul 2026, 7pm
Wed 22 Jul 2026, 7pm
Thu 23 Jul 2026, 7.30pm
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
