Past exhibitionsNgā whakaaturanga o mua

Generation X: 50 Artworks from the Chartwell Collection

Generation X: 50 Artworks from the Chartwell Collection is a big noisy group show featuring contemporary art made by Gen X artists. This exhibition is presented by City Gallery Wellington.

Medal-winning magic

Get into the Olympic spirit, and see two iconic gold medals up close.

This Swaying Earth

A suite of exhibitions where artists and makers express their relationships with the natural world.

Closed
23 Sep 2023 – 19 May 2024

Arranging Nature

This exhibition features works by artists and photographers including George Vernon Hudson, Nancy Adams, John Buchanan, Sarah Featon, Herbert Dobbie, and Ayesha Green.

Wayne Barrar: Mai i te Pūranga Kōata | From the Glass Archive

Diatoms are tiny organisms that live in oceans, rivers, and lakes. The 19th century saw a craze for arranging the silica skeleton fossils of diatoms and other micro-organisms on glass slides for viewing through microscopes. Photographer Wayne Barrar has delved into this ‘glass archive’ to explore its microscopic wonders.

This Natural World

This exhibition demonstrates how artists and makers work with nature – using forms and materials to connect with knowledge and stories held in the natural world around us.

یکی بود یکی نبود | Tērā te Wā | Memory Spaces

Persian stories often begin with یکی بود یکی نبود (‘yeki bood, yeki nabood’), or ‘one was, one was not’. Here, artworks by Selina Ershadi and Pauline Rhodes explore ideas of presence and absence to tell stories about place and memory.

Hīnaki: Contemplation of a Form

This exhibition provides a broad experience of hīnaki (eel traps). As well as displaying these taonga, it focusses on two early museum expeditions, Māori relationships with two significant rivers, and contemporary artworks related or responding to hīnaki.

Landscape and Desire

This exhibition explores the different ways that artists in Aotearoa have expressed their relationship to the land – to the places we live in.

Tanya Ashken

Over the last 60 years, Tanya Ashken has produced a remarkable body of work as a sculptor, silversmith, and jeweller. Her practice responds to the energy and rhythms of the world around her. This group of works highlights the diversity of Ashken's practice.

New Histories: Lisa Reihana and William Dunning

In New Histories, contemporary works by Lisa Reihana and William Dunning scrutinise New Zealand history and the power dynamics between settler and Māori cultures.

The Perfect Moment

These photographs are a glimpse into The Spencer Digby - Ronald D. Woolf Collection.

Dinosaurs of Patagonia | Ngā Taniwha o Rūpapa

An astonishing exhibition of the dinosaurs of Patagonia, South America – which included the Patagotitan, one of the most massive creatures ever to walk the planet, life-sized casts, and real fossils up to 230 million years old.

Mataaho Collective: Te Puni Aroaro

Experience the ground-breaking artworks of Mataaho Collective – four wāhine Māori artists who have worked together for the last decade.

Kate Newby: SHE’S TALKING TO THE WALL

Nearly 1,000 wind chimes hang in front of you. Aotearoa New Zealand artist Kate Newby made this expansive artwork over 10 years. Through clay and glass, she explores how natural materials transform when shaped and fired.

Through Shaded Glass

This exhibition draws on a major new publication from Te Papa Press and curator Lissa Mitchell. It presents a selection of portraits made by women photographers, and studio operators and employees, between 1860 and 1960.

Clever Crustaceans

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

Dane Mitchell: Iris, Iris, Iris

Dane Mitchell’s Iris, Iris, Iris merges the visible world with the invisible, using the many meanings of the word ‘iris’ to explore the senses of smell and sight.

Kaleidoscope: Abstract Aotearoa

An exploration of colour, shape, and pattern in the Pacific.

Celebrating Katherine Mansfield

January 2023 marks 100 years since the death of Wellington-born writer Katherine Mansfield, whose stories are celebrated the world over.

Forceps Delivery: A print series by John Foster

These 12 lithographs tell a story of family life, childbirth, and parenthood – unusually, from the point of view of the father. They offer a fresh view of late 20th-century New Zealand art from a largely self-taught artist.

Worlds Within: Photobooks of Aotearoa New Zealand

Lifting the lid on the photobook phenomenon and the art of the whole book as a creative work.

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, 1926–2022

A look back at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and 1953–54 tour to Aotearoa New Zealand – the first ever tour by a reigning monarch.

Robin White: Something Is Happening Here

More than 50 works from across Dame Robin White’s 50-year career will form what the artist describes as a ‘family reunion’, bringing together works from 22 galleries and living rooms across the country. 

Mikala Dwyer: The silverings

Hundreds of zeros hover above you.

A Fluid Art: Watercolours 1778–1900

This exhibition shows a selection from the 339 works gifted to the National Art Gallery (now Te Papa) by Archdeacon Francis Henry Dumville Smythe (1873–1966) in 1957.

Tiffany Singh: Indra’s bow

Spices, herbs, gemstones, and other natural materials believed to have healing properties are arranged here in a rainbow, a vision of hope and new beginnings. Fair-trade bells hang on the ribbons, and below them is a salt mandala – a symbol of cleansing and ritual.

Tiffany Singh: Total internal reflection

How are you feeling? This experimental installation invites you to choose a colour based on how you feel right now. Press a button and become part of an evolving communal light sculpture.

Rita Angus: New Zealand Modernist

Rita Angus created a distinctive vision of a new, modern New Zealand. This landmark exhibition celebrates 40 years of her work.

Destination Mars

Head into outer space on this interactive experience where gaming wizardry plus captivating live action equals high-stakes adventure!

in Pursuit of Venus [infected]

See Lisa Reihana’s vast digital wallpaper for the first time in Aotearoa New Zealand since its showing at the 2017 Venice Biennale.

Shadow Play

A selection of photos that play with perception.

Feathermania: Fashion to Die For

From the 1850s to the 1910s, feathers were the height of fashion – worn by royalty, military men, debutantes and fashionable women alike. Opening soon: 26 Jun 2021 to late April 2022.

Finding Shape: Sriwhana Spong and Vivian Lynn

In 'Finding Shape' artworks by Sriwhana Spong and Vivian Lynn explore how experience is shaped by the body and mind.

Surrealist Art: Masterpieces from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Enter the marvellous world of surrealism. See extraordinary artworks by Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Marcel Duchamp, Leonora Carrington, Man Ray, and more. Astonishing, surprising, and only at Te Papa.

Phar Lap

Phar Lap was a legendary racehorse and an adored animal hero for a generation of people in New Zealand. You can pay your respects to his bones here, in the country he was born.

Surrealist Impulse

Surrealist Impulse explores a local and Māori relationship with surrealism through works by two leading artists – Michael Parekowhai and Shane Cotton.

The Back of the Painting

Based on the new book ‘The Back of the Painting’ from Te Papa Press, view a work from our collection – both the artwork and what is on the back of the painting – and unpick the story it tells.

National Treasures

See the taonga and hear the stories behind the TVNZ 1 series National Treasures. 

Lemi Ponifasio – MAU: House of Night and Day

‘MAU: House of Night and Day’ is a major installation by renowned director, choreographer and multidisciplinary artist Lemi Ponifasio.

Wish You Were Here: Early Photo Postcards in New Zealand

A selection of postcards offering views of popular travel destinations in Aotearoa New Zealand from more than a hundred years ago.

Skate! Explore skate culture in Aotearoa

Explore skate culture with panel talks, workshops, and a one-day skating event.

Celebrating Makers: Clay

Join ceramic artists and clayworkers, learn the craft, and experience the infinite possibilities of clay.

Celebrating Makers: Ngatu

Get hands on and make ngatu (Tongan bark cloth) with the women of Akomai Heritage, and learn about how the process is changing and thriving in Aotearoa.

Celebrating Makers: Māori and Pacific Art

This series of experiences celebrates a diverse range of creative making practices. Get up close, watch live demonstrations, and get inspired!

Wana Ake Festival

Create! Look! Explore! Celebrate summer at Te Papa with a dynamic festival of events, activities, exhibitions, and fun.

One Work

In this series of three different experiences, engage with a single art work at your own pace and in your own way.

Chiharu Shiota: The web of time

The web of time, an installation by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, creates the vision of a night sky studded with constellations of numbers.

Douglas MacDiarmid

We warmly remember Douglas MacDiarmid (1922–2020) with six colourful sketches he drew of his friend Helen Hitchings hitchhiking through France in 1953.

World of WearableArt – Up Close

Experience World of WearableArt like never before. A theatrical journey and immersive exhibition that invites you to get up close to the extraordinary garments and explore limitless creativity. 

Modern Living: Design in 1950s New Zealand

The 1952 Auckland exhibition Art and Design introduced New Zealanders to a vision for a more equal, happier way of life that grew from the devastation of World War II. Modern Living offers a lens into this ground-breaking exhibition, and an exciting era of new design in Aotearoa.

Faka-Tokelau: Living with Change

Explore Tokelau’s unique way of life, faka-Tokelau, through the lenses of two New Zealand photographers. Glenn Jowitt visited in 1981, Andrew Matautia 36 years later, in 2017.

Curators' Choice: 21 Things

From chess to safe sex, silverware to gang wear – what do we collect? And why? Explore 21 new collection items. Discover our curators’ thinking. 

Wonderland

Curiouser and curiouser! This summer, come with Alice on an adventure in Wonderland – an interactive exhibition that celebrates Lewis Carroll’s timeless stories. Where will the Hallway of Doors lead you?

Tamatea: Legacies of Encounter

This exhibition presents a new acquisition, a painting by William Hodges, in conversation with Ngāi Tahu whānui taonga and artworks by Mark Adams and Colin McCahon. Together, they speak to the legacies – artistic, cultural, and scientific – generated by the first meeting of James Cook and southern Māori.

Tatau: Sāmoan Tattooing and Photography

Pain. Identity. Innovation. Experience Sāmoan tattooing through the lenses of four photographers – across time, in Sāmoa, Aotearoa New Zealand, and beyond.

Featon’s Flowers

A collection of exquisite botanical watercolours from the late 19th century, showcasing New Zealand’s native flowers.

Nike Savvas – Finale: Bouquet

‘Finale: Bouquet’ captures a moment of jubilation, with confetti caught mid fall in a celebration that never ends.

Shin-hanga: Japan’s ‘New Print’ Movement

In about 1915, Tokyo publisher Shōzaburō Watanabe coined the name of a new art movement: shin-hanga 新版画, ‘new prints’.

Rātana: The Healing Faith

A mini exhibition that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Rātana church.

Blow-up

Choose a photograph to blow up on the gallery wall.

The New Photography – Life in the 60s and 70s

The 1960s and 1970s were decades of social change and experimentation, and for photography they marked the beginnings of art photography in New Zealand.

Gordon Walters: New Vision

The first comprehensive survey of one of New Zealand’s most influential modern artists.

Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality

Get up-close to some of China’s ancient imperial icons this summer.

Kerry Ann Lee: Return to Skyland

Artist Kerry Ann Lee invites you to enter a dreamscape transit lounge. An installation accessible to ticket holders for ‘Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality’.

Things Seen and Heard

Objects linking Asia and Aotearoa New Zealand, representing over a century of connected and curious artists and collectors.

Doing It for Themselves: Women Fight for Equality

Women in Aotearoa New Zealand won the right to vote 125 years ago. With this exhibition, we honour women who fought, and continue to fight, for gender equality.

Curious Creatures & Marvellous Monsters

An art exhibition for kids that explores the magical, monstrous and imagined creatures drawn from the depths of Te Papa’s art collection.

Tony Fomison: Lost in the Dark

An exhibition of Tony Fomison’s paintings, featuring monsters, misfits, and medical deformities that explores what it means to be an outsider.

Tūrangawaewae: Art and New Zealand

From Te Papa’s art collection comes a dynamic exhibition across five galleries. The art works here explore identity and cross-cultural exchange.

Encounters

These portraits represent mana - power and prestige. Some trumpet the status of European royalty, Māori leaders, or prosperous colonial settlers in New Zealand. Others advertise the skills of the artist. All carry with them stories from the past into the present.

Détour by Michael Parekowhai

Whimsical but with a critical edge, ‘Détour’ is Michael Parekowhai’s response to the repositioning of contemporary art at Te Papa with the opening of the new gallery.

Lisa Walker: I want to go to my bedroom but I can’t be bothered

The 30-year evolution of world-renowned New Zealand jeweller Lisa Walker.

Pacific Sisters: Fashion Activists

A celebration of mana wāhine, indigenous identities, and the role this collective has played over the past 26 years in giving voice and visibility to Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Janet Lilo: Top16

Enter a giant, three-dimensional profile page.

Jeena Shin: Movement image time. Te Papa

With this art work, Jeena Shin responds to the architecture and environment of the space.

Modern Masters

A fascinating slice of modern art, from surrealism to abstraction, featuring art works by Salvador Dalí, Roy Lichtenstein, René Magritte, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol.

Let’s Go Build: A Festival for LEGO Lovers

A festival for LEGO® lovers of all ages. This summer, go on a journey around the world through huge LEGO models – then pick up some bricks and start building!

Rā Maumahara | New Zealand Wars

With this exhibition, Te Papa marks the first national commemoration of the New Zealand Wars – Rā Maumahara, or Remembrance Day, 28 October 2017.

The Very Sensible Fred Dagg

Shearer’s singlet, gumboots, shorts, floppy hat – who else could this outfit belong to but Fred Dagg? See the iconic outfit created by comedian John Clarke, on display at Te Papa.

The Te Pahi Medal: Forged in Friendship

This medal is the first official state gift given to a Māori chief by a foreign leader. Yet this national treasure vanished from Aotearoa New Zealand for over 200 years.

Ko Rongowhakaata: The Story of Light and Shadow

Explore the land, people, and stories of Rongowhakaata, an iwi whose unique art reflects their innate creativity, rich history, and innovative spirit.

Rugby Legends: The Spirit of the Black Jersey

New Zealand’s black jersey is rugby’s most potent symbol. Discover some of this country’s rugby legends – teams and players who embody the spirit of the black jersey.

Peter Snell: Medal-Winning Magic

See the Olympic gold medals and shoe won by New Zealander Peter Snell.

Bug Lab

Te Papa and Weta Workshop bring you a science exhibition like no other – a spectacular, immersive experience ‘designed by bugs, for humans’.

Anzac Centenary Print Portfolio

Five New Zealand and five Australian artists respond to the history, legacy, and recent centenary of World War I.

Simon Denny: Secret Power

Simon Denny’s acclaimed Venice Biennale exhibition Secret Power explores surveillance, espionage, and New Zealand’s role in the Five Eyes international intelligence alliance.

Starving for the Vote

See Frances Parker’s Medal for Valour, awarded for her hunger strike protesting against voting inequality in Britain.

European Splendour 1500–1800

Exquisite European art and objects reveal how the Church, trade, and innovation influenced what was once considered the height of affluence.

Open Home: Contemporary New Zealand artists explore home life

Works by Derrick Cherrie, L Budd, Graham Fletcher, and others explore what happens when home life goes on display.

Alexis Hunter: The model’s revenge

Gender, sexuality, and power – the 1970s photographs of this feminist artist have been described as ‘icons of fearlessness for women’.

Matt Pine: Placement Projects revisited

Sculptor Matt Pine combines Māori and Pacific perspectives with American minimalism in a new version of his Placement Projects.

Filmic imaginaries: Jacqueline Fraser and Tracey Moffatt

Jacqueline Fraser and Tracey Moffatt use popular culture, particularly that of cinematic film, to move their work into the realm of the creative imaginary.

Māori minimalism and international influence

The works of pioneering Māori artist Ralph Hotere, American minimalist artist Ad Reinhardt, and Māori minimalist sculptor Matt Pine are brought together in a surprising conversation.

New Visions, New Zealand

Female artists enlivened modern art in New Zealand. Double portraits by Rita Angus, Frances Hodgkins, and A Lois White face off, and a little-known mural by White gets some wall time.

Adorned

Adorned brings together paintings, prints, and cultural treasures to explore the art of adornment in Māori and Pacific cultures.

Inspired: Ceramics and jewellery shaped by the past

The exhibition drew on contemporary and historic objects from Te Papa and considered how objects can be connected across time.

The Gallery of Helen Hitchings

Helen Hitchings’ vibrant dealer gallery was ground-breaking in its presentation of modern art and design in New Zealand.

Framing the View

New Zealand’s spectacular scenery captivated European artists and photographers who came here in the 1800s. With no works by Old Masters to copy, nature was their training ground.

The Art of Remembrance

Max Gimblett's brass quatrefoils are a glimmering message of peace and remembrance for all New Zealanders who served in World War I. A selection of these art works were on display in Ngā Toi │Arts Te Papa.

Knowledge on a beam of starlight

This three-panel light work – originally conceived of as ‘The Incredible Dream Zine Machine’ – invites you to make your own fanzine, or do-it-yourself magazine.

You Called Me What?! 150 years of scientific discovery at Te Papa

Uncover the fascinating stories behind scientific names – and help us name a new species.

Whiti Te Rā! The story of Ngāti Toa Rangatira

This exhibition explored the successes, dramatic setbacks, and extraordinary resurgence of Ngāti Toa Rangatira, the local iwi (tribe) in the Wellington region and the top of the South Island.

Tiger Moth

Look up! Tiger Moth aeroplanes have a key place in the story of aerial topdressing – the technology that revolutionised New Zealand’s agriculture.

Awesome Forces

Feel the earth move under your feet, and see how seismic shifts created New Zealand’s landscapes.

Mountains to Sea

Journey through New Zealand's diverse environments, from windy alpine peaks to gloomy sea beds.

Slice of Heaven: 20th Century Aotearoa

Aotearoa New Zealand changed dramatically in the 20th century. Discover what united and divided us, and shaped our lives today. Decide whether New Zealand really is a ‘slice of heaven’.

Golden Days

Celebrate what makes us Kiwis tick. Junk shop objects come to life as historic moments play onscreen.

2015 past exhibitions

Information about Te Papa’s past exhibitions that opened in 2015. Including, DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition, Contraception: Uncovering the collection of Dame Margaret Sparrow and The Canterbury earthquakes.

2014 past exhibitions

Past exhibitions that opened in 2014 – from The Berry Boys: Naming the Kiwi faces of World War I to Kāhui Raranga: The art of tukutuku.