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2019 media releases

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    New Chief Executive Courtney Johnston will lead Te Papa into a new era

    New Chief Executive Courtney Johnston will lead Te Papa into a new era

    Fri 13 Dec 2019

    Courtney Johnston has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Te Papa. Ms Johnston will take up the role in December 2019.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • A black leather gang jacket with the word 'Toa Aotearoa' on it
    ‘Once Were Warriors’ jacket helps show how Te Papa collects, and why

    ‘Once Were Warriors’ jacket helps show how Te Papa collects, and why

    Thu 12 Dec 2019

    A gang patch jacket from the 1994 film Once Were Warriors will feature in Kei te Kairauhī: 21 ngā Taonga | Curators’ Choice: 21 Things; a mini exhibition exploring how and why Te Papa curators collect.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • People look at a Queen of Hearts costume
    “Spectacular” Wonderland exhibition opens at Te Papa

    “Spectacular” Wonderland exhibition opens at Te Papa

    Fri 6 Dec 2019

    Te Papa’s summer blockbuster exhibition Wonderland opens to the public tomorrow and runs until 8 March 2020.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Te Papa exhibits painting of peaceful encounter from Cook’s second voyage

    Te Papa exhibits painting of peaceful encounter from Cook’s second voyage

    Fri 1 Nov 2019

    The oldest European painting of Aotearoa New Zealand in Te Papa’s collection will go in display in Toi Art, Te Papa’s art gallery, as part of Tamatea: He Tūtakinga Tuku Iho | Legacies of Encounter. The exhibition opens on Saturday 9 November.

    News He pānui

  • Closeup of a tattoo on a man's thighs
    Powerful photographs of Sāmoan tattooing on show at Te Papa

    Powerful photographs of Sāmoan tattooing on show at Te Papa

    Wed 16 Oct 2019

    An exhibition opening in Te Papa’s Toi Art in November gives an intimate insight into the unique cultural practice of Sāmoan tattooing.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Photo of Geraint Martin
    Geraint Martin to step down as Te Papa’s Chief Executive

    Geraint Martin to step down as Te Papa’s Chief Executive

    Mon 9 Sep 2019

    Te Papa’s Chief Executive Geraint Martin announced today he will step down from the role at the end of the year.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Low shot of Te Papa from the harbour, which dominates the bottom half of the image, with a boat on the right-hand side
    Measles announcement for Te Papa

    Measles announcement for Te Papa

    Fri 6 Sep 2019

    A visitor to Te Papa between 11am and 1pm on Saturday 31st August had measles.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Two women in a painting store room look at a painting on display on a table
    Te Papa to open a major Rita Angus exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts

    Te Papa to open a major Rita Angus exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts

    Wed 4 Sep 2019

    Around 70 works by one of New Zealand’s most important 20th-century artists, Rita Angus (1908–1970), will be exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in October 2020.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • People in an art gallery
    Te Papa celebrates the centenary of Colin McCahon’s birth

    Te Papa celebrates the centenary of Colin McCahon’s birth

    Fri 23 Aug 2019

    Nine of Colin McCahon’s most important works will be hung in Te Papa´s Toi Art galleries this August, coinciding with the centenary of the artist’s birth.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • A visitor trying to capture the scale of a colourful artwork
    Te Papa’s Toi Art opens multi-sensory, kinetic installation

    Te Papa’s Toi Art opens multi-sensory, kinetic installation

    Mon 12 Aug 2019

    A new immersive art exhibition has opened at Te Papa. The installation, ‘Finale: Bouquet’, by Australian artist Nike Savvas is a major new site specific commission for the Toi Art Threshold Gallery on Level 4.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    ‘Wonderland’ exhibition brings Alice to Te Papa

    ‘Wonderland’ exhibition brings Alice to Te Papa

    Mon 22 Jul 2019

    Venture down the rabbit hole at this summer’s immersive exhibition Wonderland, which opens on 7 Dec 2019 and runs until 8 Mar 2020.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Fran Wilde
    Dame Fran Wilde appointed as Chair of Te Papa’s board

    Dame Fran Wilde appointed as Chair of Te Papa’s board

    Wed 3 Jul 2019

    Dame Fran Wilde will chair the board of Te Papa from 1 July 2019. Dame Fran has been a member of the board since 2015 and its Deputy Chair since January 2019.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Popular Matariki ritual returns to Te Papa for two nights

    Popular Matariki ritual returns to Te Papa for two nights

    Wed 12 Jun 2019

    Matariki at Te Papa includes a special performance from the NZSO, the iconic annual kapa haka competition, and the museum’s newly-created Matariki community ritual.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Children look at moa egg
    Increased funding for Te Papa in Budget 2019

    Increased funding for Te Papa in Budget 2019

    Thu 30 May 2019

    Te Papa’s baseline funding from the Crown has been increased by $12.5m a year in this year’s Budget, to support ongoing maintenance of the museum’s buildings, and refresh of exhibitions.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Visitors look at the colossal squid in Te Papa’s fish research facility
    Appointment made to Assistant Curator role

    Appointment made to Assistant Curator role

    Wed 29 May 2019

    Te Papa has appointed Andrew Stewart to the role of Assistant Curator, vertebrates.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Te Papa art exhibitions focus on New Zealand in the 1960s and 70s

    Te Papa art exhibitions focus on New Zealand in the 1960s and 70s

    Tue 28 May 2019

    Two exhibitions at Te Papa this winter take viewers back to an era of radical change in ‘New Zealand: The New Photography – Life in the 60s and 70s’ and ‘Gordon Walters: New Vision’.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Students and teachers work at a desk full of computers
    Museum learning brings tech to life in Te Papa’s Raranga Matihiko programme

    Museum learning brings tech to life in Te Papa’s Raranga Matihiko programme

    Mon 27 May 2019

    A programme combining museum treasures with high tech is proving a hit with children across New Zealand.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Te Papa acquires extremely rare historical painting from Captain Cook’s 1772-75 Pacific voyage

    Te Papa acquires extremely rare historical painting from Captain Cook’s 1772-75 Pacific voyage

    Mon 20 May 2019

    Te Papa announced today it has purchased William Hodges’ ‘Waterfall in Dusky Bay with Maori canoe’ for New Zealand’s national art collection.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Te Taiao | Nature exhibition a new benchmark for a new generation

    Te Taiao | Nature exhibition a new benchmark for a new generation

    Thu 9 May 2019

    A dawn blessing was held today for Te Papa’s ground-breaking new exhibition zone, Te Taiao | Nature. Iwi from around the country blessed the exhibition, acknowledging taonga connected to their rohe.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Sacred ancestral remains return from Germany and The Netherlands

    Sacred ancestral remains return from Germany and The Netherlands

    Mon 6 May 2019

    On Sunday 5 May, Te Papa held a private pōwhiri (welcome) to mark the return home of 121 Māori and Moriori ancestral remains from Germany and The Netherlands. 

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Banners advertising the Terracotta Warriors exhibition hang above the Te Papa entrance foyer
    Terracotta Warriors exhibition doubles visitor target at Te Papa

    Terracotta Warriors exhibition doubles visitor target at Te Papa

    Wed 24 Apr 2019

    Te Papa’s exhibition ‘Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality’ has attracted twice as many visitors as originally planned, with 198,021 people having seen the exhibition since it opened on 15 December.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Te Papa extends Gallipoli exhibition to Anzac Day 2022

    Te Papa extends Gallipoli exhibition to Anzac Day 2022

    Wed 24 Apr 2019

    Te Papa announced today that its ground-breaking exhibition Gallipoli: The scale of our war will remain at the museum for at least three more years, and will not close before Anzac Day, 25 Apr 2022.

    Press release He pānui papāho

  • Craftsman working on a marae
    Spotlight on the world’s oldest surviving whare whakairo, Te Hau ki Tūranga

    Spotlight on the world’s oldest surviving whare whakairo, Te Hau ki Tūranga

    Mon 25 Mar 2019

    Iwi from around the country will gather in Tūranganui-ā-Kiwa | Gisborne this week to share kaupapa of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) at the Tūhonohono conference.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    ‘Art for everyone’ breaks records at Te Papa

    ‘Art for everyone’ breaks records at Te Papa

    Mon 25 Mar 2019

    Having surpassed its visitor target of 350,000 visitors in its first year, Te Papa’s new art gallery Toi Art has welcomed 670,346 visitors since opening in March 2018.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Te Papa confirms future of world-class fish collection

    Te Papa confirms future of world-class fish collection

    Wed 27 Feb 2019

    Te Papa has assured fish researchers that its world-class fish collection is well positioned for the future.

    Press release He pānui papāho

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    Opening date announced for Te Papa’s ground-breaking nature zone

    Opening date announced for Te Papa’s ground-breaking nature zone

    Mon 18 Feb 2019

    The biggest change to Te Papa since the museum opened will be unveiled to the public on 11 May 2019.

    Press release He pānui papāho