Tiny objects, big stories: new Te Papa exhibition celebrates the power of badges
They might be small, but the stories they tell can be enormous. Iti te Kupu, Nui te Kōrero | Tiny Statements: The Power of Badges brings together over 200 badges from Te Papa’s collection.
This small but mighty exhibition showcases how these tiny objects have helped people from across Aotearoa New Zealand express identity, belonging, pride, protest, and resistance.
Te Papa Curator New Zealand Histories and Cultures Stephanie Gibson believes that these humble objects serve as portals to our social history.
“Badges are tiny objects with big stories. Designed to be seen, these miniature billboards are placed close to the heart and can be worn anywhere, anytime.”
Based on the book Tiny Statements: A Social History of Aotearoa New Zealand in Badges (Te Papa Press, 2023), the new exhibition demonstrates the power of badges to connect people with history and offers a colourful snapshot of what people cared about, fought for, and wanted the world to know – from instantly recognisable symbols like the peace sign to the niche appeal of the Blue Heron Darts Club.
“When you look at these words and symbols, you’re often looking at a much bigger story about a community, a cause, or a moment in our history. Some of the most compelling stories in our collection are told through the smallest objects”, adds Ms Gibson.
Spanning four display cases, visitors will encounter badges celebrating dogs, community clubs, sports, and communities across the country, alongside pivotal moments in Aotearoa’s history; the Māori Land March, Bastion Point, te reo Māori revival, women’s welfare, and iconic symbols of the anti-apartheid and anti-nuclear movements.
Exhibition highlights include author Margaret Mahy’s badge-covered scarf, a Polynesian Panthers badge and beret, tiny works of art created by Trevor Dick, and mementoes of Elva Marama Love, the first Māori woman to captain the New Zealand Women’s Hockey Team.
Iti te Kupu, Nui te Kōrero | Tiny Statements: The Power of Badges proves that size is no measure of impact and highlights the many ways these wearable symbols broadcast identity and belonging as they travel with wearers into the wider world.
This exhibition at Te Papa is open until 22 October and is free for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand.
For more information: tepapa.nz/TinyStatements
ENDS
Notes to editor
Iti te Kupu, Nui te Kōrero | Tiny Statements: The Power of Badges is a touring exhibition from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
The exhibition opens at Te Papa on 16 July and runs to 22 October, before moving to Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery in Hamilton from 30 October 2026 to 29 March 2027.
For more information about Te Papa’s touring exhibitions, visit: tepapa.nz/touring
Media contact
Heather Byrne | 029 601 0120 | heather.byrne@tepapa.govt.nz
Photos and captions
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Image captions
You Can’t Sink A Rainbow badge, circa 1985 by Greenpeace. Gift of Ken Thomas, 2008. Te Papa (GH011822)
Guide leaders’ Camp Licence badge, 1980s by Girl Guides Association New Zealand. Gift of GirlGuiding New Zealand, 2022. Te Papa (GH026906/13/7)
Badge, ‘Equal Value Equal Pay’, 1985 by New Zealand Clerical Workers' Union. Gift of Keith Locke, 2024. Te Papa (GH027007/58)
Anti-apartheid badge, ‘FREE NELSON MANDELA’, 1980–1981, by Eli Weinberg. Gift of Keith Locke, 2024. Te Papa (GH027006/21)
Polynesian Panther Party badge, 2021 by Tigilau Ness, Polynesian Panther Party, Mil-Tec, Badgemakers. Gift of the Reverend Alec Toleafoa, 2022. Te Papa (FE013657)
Reo Māori pin, 2022 by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, BadgeWorks Ltd. Gift of Lee Johnson, 2025. Te Papa (GH027224)
‘They/Them’ pronoun badge, 2024 by Wellington City Libraries. Gift of Lucy Schrader, 2025. Te Papa (GH027211)
Intersex-inclusive Progress Pride flag badge, 2025 by Burnett Foundation Aotearoa. Gift of Gareth Watkins and Roger Smith, 2026. Te Papa (GH027220)
Toitū te Tiriti badge, 2024 by Maimoa Creative, Aroha Tāmihana. Gift of Sarah Hopkinson, 2026. Te Papa (GH027238)
‘Nuclear Weapon Free Zone’ badge, 1981 by Lawrence Ross QSM, New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Committee. Gift of Ken Thomas, 2008. Te Papa (GH011812)
Halt All Racist Tours badge, 1970s by Halt All Racist Tours. Gift of the Estate of Ron and Carmen Smith, 2015. Te Papa (GH024496)
Ōtautau Bowling Club badge, 1950s-70s by T.M. Dick & Co Ltd. Purchased 2003. Te Papa (GH023402)
Canterbury Dachshund Club badge, 1970s by T.M. Dick & Co Ltd. Purchased 2003. Te Papa (GH023225)
Blue Heron Dart Club badge, 1970s – early 1980s by T.M. Dick & Co Ltd. Purchased 2003. Te Papa (GH020704)
About Te Papa
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is Aotearoa New Zealand’s much-loved national museum, and in 2025 was recognised by TripAdvisor as the country’s leading visitor attraction, ranking in the top one per cent of experiences worldwide.
Te Papa brings together art, history, science, and Māori and Pacific cultures through immersive, hands‑on experiences that invite curiosity and discovery. Its national art gallery houses the country’s national art collection across two floors.
At its heart, Te Papa is a celebration of Māori culture and identity, where visitors can experience contemporary and traditional Māori art, ancestral stories, and exhibitions that offer insight into how Māori culture shapes life in Aotearoa today.
The national museum cares for more than two million objects, is home to a major research centre, and is internationally recognised for its commitment to bicultural practice and the repatriation of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains. Through Te Papa Collections Online, more than one million taonga are accessible to audiences around the world.