Theme for Matariki celebrations 2026: Matariki herenga waka
Tue 23 Dec 2025
This year’s theme of Matariki herenga waka is all about inclusion and encouraging all people to celebrate Matariki together.
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2025 media releases
National Premiere of Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke in Manawatū to Feature Classic Costume on Display
Thu 4 Dec 2025
Fred Dagg’s costume will be on public display at Te Manawa Museum on the 9th to the 11th of December.
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Press Release: Breathe | Mauri Ora – an immersive journey into nature at Te Papa
Wed 29 Oct 2025
An immersive digital art experience unlike anything seen in New Zealand before will take visitors on a mind-blowing journey into nature this summer at Te Papa.
Including a guided meditation voiced by Cate Blanchett, Breathe | Mauri Ora invites you to slow down, relax – and breathe.
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Te Papa announces organisation-wide review to secure financial sustainability
Fri 10 Oct 2025
Te Papa announced today it is carrying out an organisational review proposed to restructure its teams, positions, and reporting lines. Te Papa Co-Leaders Chief Executive Courtney Johnston and Kaihautū Dr Arapata Hakiwai said the review would allow Te Papa to ensure financial sustainability now and in the future.
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Te Mātātuhi ki Te Papa: a celebration of the living art of moko kanohi
Thu 25 Sep 2025
Te Uhi a Mataora, a national collective of tā moko artists, will revive the practise of tūpuna (ancestors) through the artistry of tā moko (Māori skin markings) and the continuation of whakapapa (genealogy) over a three-day, public event that celebrates the living art of moko kanohi (facial tattooing).
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Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War re-opens after upgrades, now on display to 2032
Fri 12 Sep 2025
Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War will re-open tomorrow Saturday 13 Sept 2025, after being closed since July for essential upgrades to extend the life of the exhibition.
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OVĀ Collective and Te Papa serve up a celebration of ballroom culture
Thu 4 Sep 2025
Five years after Wellington’s debut Vogue Ball, the creative capital will host its largest celebration of ballroom culture. Presented by The Kiki House of Marama, OVĀ Collective and Te Papa, a dazzling programme of events will commemorate five years of the growing Wellington Ballroom scene.
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Te Papa Foundation unveils its biggest-ever fundraising auctions
Fri 29 Aug 2025
From Sir Ashley Bloomfield high tea and vintage Colossal Squid masks to quirky museum treasures, Te Papa Foundation has unveiled the most extensive fundraising auction in its history.
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Te Papa to begin building $155 million Biodiversity Research Centre in Upper Hutt
Thu 14 Aug 2025
Te Papa is set to proceed with the construction of a purpose-built Te Papa Biodiversity Research Centre in Trentham, securing the future of some of New Zealand's most significant natural history collections.
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Te Papa celebrates colossal squid’s 100th birthday
Thu 7 Aug 2025
August 2025 marks a century since the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) was first named by the scientific community in 1925. Te Papa is home to the world’s only complete specimen on public display.
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New Host uniform updates an icon of Te Papa
Wed 30 Jul 2025
From today, Te Papa Hosts will wear a new uniform, made of natural fibres and produced by New Zealand company Little Yellow Bird. The change is the latest evolution for the museum’s Hosts, who themselves are an icon of the Te Papa experience.
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Te Papa named TripAdvisor’s top tourist attraction in New Zealand, top 1% worldwide
Fri 25 Jul 2025
Te Papa has been recognised in the TripAdvisor 2025 Travellers’ Choice Awards, cementing its position as a world-class cultural destination.
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Taikura Kapa Haka returns to Te Papa for Matariki
Fri 27 Jun 2025
This weekend, Te Papa will once again come alive with the wairua of over 600 kaumātua as Taikura Kapa Haka 2025 takes centre stage.
This annual festival celebrating and showcasing kapa haka and kaumātua takes over Aotearoa New Zealand’s national museum on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June.
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Vivienne Westwood world-premiere wows audiences
Thu 17 Apr 2025
The world-premiere exhibition, Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery is in its final days at Te Papa and has welcomed over 38,000 visitors since opening in January.
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Te Papa extends Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War exhibition to 2032
Mon 17 Mar 2025
Te Papa will extend the exhibition Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War until April 2032.
Created by Te Papa working closely with Wētā Workshop, the exhibition set a global benchmark for immersive museum experiences.
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Te Papa to open two floors of exciting new art in June
Fri 7 Mar 2025
Te Papa has announced an exciting new suite of exhibitions for Toi Art, its renowned art gallery and home of New Zealand’s national art collection.
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Te Matatini Fan Zones – Celebrating Kapa Haka, Culture, and Community!
Wed 19 Feb 2025
Te Matatini Fan Zones – an exciting new initiative, Te Matatini is making kapa haka more accessible than ever, launching two official Fan Zones in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and Tāmaki Makaurau.
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Kōimi T’chakat Moriori – ancestors returning from Australia
Wed 12 Feb 2025
Two Kōimi T’chakat Moriori (Moriori ancestors) have begun their journey home from Australia, with a special handover ceremony at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
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