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.

Closed
22 May – 21 Aug 2023

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Mānawatia a Matariki | Celebrate our New Year

Celebrate our national holiday! Visit Te Papa’s walk-through experience and discover why Matariki is unique.

Closed
2 Jun – 30 Jul 2023

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
9 Dec 2022 – 27 Aug 2023

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Kaleidoscope: Abstract Aotearoa

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

Closed
17 Mar 2018 – 2 Apr 2023

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Celebrating Katherine Mansfield

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

Closed
6 Dec 2022 – 13 March 2023

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
17 Sep 2022 – 05 Mar 2023

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
19 Aug – 28 Nov 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
15–30 Sep 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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. 

Closed
4 Jun – 18 Sep 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Mikala Dwyer: The silverings

Hundreds of zeros hover above you.

Closed
21 Jun – 18 Sep 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
18 Mar – 10 Sep 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

• Watch: Indra’s bow

Closed
17 Mar 2018 – 20 Nov 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

• Rituals and wellbeing: Tiffany Singh in conversation

Closed
17 Mar 2018 – 26 Oct 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
18 Dec 2021 – 25 Apr 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Destination Mars

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

Closed
11 Dec 2021 – 25 Apr 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
15 Oct 2021 – 31 Jul 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Shadow Play

A selection of photos that play with perception.

Closed
2 Oct 2021 – 15 Mar 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.  Featuring examples of ‘feather finery’ and bird-beak jewellery, visitors learn how feathers played an integral part in women’s fashion internationally.

Closed
5 Jul 2021 – 6 Jun 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
10 Mar – 28 May 2023

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
12 Jun – 31 Oct 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Surrealist Impulse

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

Closed
6 Jul 2021 – 31 Dec 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
Apr 8 – Jul 29 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

National Treasures

See the taonga and hear the stories behind the TV1 series National Treasures.

Closed
8 Mar – 18 Apr 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
24 Feb – 4 Oct 2020

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
24 Feb – 5 Apr 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Skate! Explore skate culture in Aotearoa

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

Closed
20 Feb – 7 Mar 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Celebrating Makers: Clay

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

Closed
18 Feb – 28 Feb 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
6 Feb – 14 Feb 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Celebrating Makers: Māori and Pacific Art

Connect with our marae, Rongomaraeroa, and get up close with Māori and Pacific makers working with wood, textiles, or tattooing. Each month on our marae we’ll celebrate a different focus. 

Closed
22 Jan – 28 Mar 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

One Work

In this series of three different experiences, engage with a single art work at your own pace and in your own way, including the world’s first Māori virtual reality experience.

Closed
12 Dec 2020 – 31 Jan 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

• Chiharu Shiota

Closed
12 Dec 2020 – 14 Nov 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
4 Nov 2020 – 15 Jan 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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. 

Closed
12 Dec 2020 – 14 Feb 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

• ‘Experiment in Housing’ archive footage

Closed
22 Aug 2020 – 26 Apr 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
15 Feb – 2 Nov 2020

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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. 

Closed
14 Dec 2019 – 13 Jun 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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?

Closed
7 Dec 2019 – 8 Mar 2020

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
9 Nov 2019 – 26 Jul 2020

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
9 Nov 2019 – 8 Nov 2020

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Featon’s Flowers

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

Closed
19 Oct 2019 – 10 Feb 2020

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Nike Savvas – Finale: Bouquet

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

Closed
8 Aug 2019 – 12 Jan 2020

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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’.

Closed
26 Jul – 14 Oct 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Rātana: The Healing Faith

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

Closed
15 Jul 2019 – 22 Jan 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Blow-up

Choose a photograph to blow up on the gallery wall.

Closed
15 Jun – 13 Oct 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
15 Jun – 13 Oct 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Gordon Walters: New Vision

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

Closed
15 Jun – 13 Oct 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality

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

Closed
15 Dec 2018 – 22 Apr 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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’.

Closed
15 Dec 2018 – 22 Apr 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Things Seen and Heard

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

Closed
21 Sep 2018 – 21 Jul 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
19 Sep 2018 – 13 Oct 2019

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
18 Aug – 4 Nov 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
18 Aug – 4 Nov 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
17 Mar 2018 – 13 Sep 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
17 Mar – 8 Nov 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
17 Mar – 22 Jul 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
17 Mar – 15 Jul 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Janet Lilo: Top16

Enter a giant, three-dimensional profile page.

Closed
17 Mar 2018 – 13 Sep 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Jeena Shin: Movement image time. Te Papa

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

Closed
17 Mar 2018 – 26 Apr 2021

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
12 Mar 2018 – 9 Sep 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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!

Closed
9 Dec 2017 – 18 Feb 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
27 Oct 2017 – 19 Aug 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
26 Jul – 30 Oct 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
19 May 2017 – 29 Apr 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
29 Sep 2017 – 3 Feb 2022

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
02 Jun – 15 Oct 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Peter Snell: Medal-Winning Magic

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

Closed
18 Apr – 11 Oct 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Bug Lab

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

Closed
10 Dec 2016 – 17 Apr 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

John Parker: Handmade Precision

John Parker is one of New Zealand’s most distinctive ceramic artists. Simple lines, clean edges, and industry-inspired forms feature throughout his 50-year career.

Closed
28 Oct 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Anzac Centenary Print Portfolio

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

Closed
16 Sep 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
7 Sep 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Starving for the vote

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

Closed
15 Sep – 12 Dec 2016

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
31 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
31 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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’.

Closed
31 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Matt Pine: Placement Projects revisited

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

Closed
31 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
31 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
31 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
24 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Adorned

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

Closed
24 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
24 Aug – 19 Sep 2016

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

The Gallery of Helen Hitchings

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

Closed
24 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
24 Aug 2016 – 26 Feb 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
16 Mar – 7 Aug 2016

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
22 Aug 2014 – 31 Mar 2016

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
22 Dec 2015 – 2 Apr 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Whiti Te Rā! The story of Ngāti Toa Rangatira

With only a couple more weeks until it closes, explore Ngāti Toa's stellar successes, dramatic setbacks, and extraordinary resurgence.

Closed
14 Jun 2014 – 17 Mar 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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.

Closed
14 Feb 1998 – 13 Mar 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Awesome Forces

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

Closed
14 Feb 1998 – 2 Apr 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Mountains to Sea

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

Closed
14 Feb 1998 – 2 Apr 2018

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

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’.

Closed
2 Oct 2010 – 23 Jan 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Golden Days

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

Closed
14 Feb 1998 – 31 Aug 2017

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga