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.

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Mai i te whaikīngi ki te ai haumaru, ngā taputapu hiriwa ki ngā kaka kēnge – he aha ngā rironga mai? Ā, ki te aha?

Toroa he huinga hou o ngā taonga 21. Ka kitea ngā whakaaro o te kairauhī.

When | Āhea 14 Dec 2019 – 13 Jun 2021
Where | Ki hea Level 3
Cost | Te utu Free
Ages | Te reanga Appropriate for all ages, but most relevant for ages 12+
Allow | Me whakarite 15 minutes
Accessibility | E wātea ana ki
- Wheelchair accessible
Find out more about accessibility at Te Papa

The taonga

taonga on display have been acquired over the past two years and range from digital material to handcrafted objects, spanning the early 1880s to the present day.

Each acquisition has been collected by Te Papa curators through various different platforms including auction houses and co-collecting projects.

Featuring 21 recent additions to the collection, this mini exhibition sheds light on the innovative ways in which we build our collections for generations to come.

Exhibition highlights Taonga whakaatu

Wild Victorian Object
Wild Victorian

Lindah Lepou 2005 FE013157
Kahikikū Aloha Shirt with Hīna'i design Object
Kahikikū Aloha Shirt with Hīna'i design

Kealopiko 2017 FE013067
He waka eke noa placard Object
He waka eke noa placard

Women's March on Washington - New Zealand January 2017 GH025119
Once Were Warriors TOA leather jacket patch Object
Once Were Warriors TOA leather jacket patch

Pauline Pohatu 1994 ME024268
Discovery of New Zealand Chess Set Object
Discovery of New Zealand Chess Set

Frank Szirmay 1970 GH025104/1-35
Queens of the Pacific poster Object
Queens of the Pacific poster

New Zealand AIDS Foundation late 1990s GH025370
Kāwana brooch Object
Kāwana brooch

Matthew McIntyre-Wilson 2016 ME024280
Couple with a baby Object
Couple with a baby

John Carnduff Morton 1890s O.045063