History books

Books about the stories of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Towards Modernism

A treasure trove of design.

Book cover for Central Otago Couture with the authors, photographer and title in orange and a photo of a woman in a dress standing in a field.

Central Otago Couture: The Eden Hore Collection

A fascinating record of high-end New Zealand fashion and an enigmatic collector.

Groundwork: The Art and Writing of Emily Cumming Harris

A luscious tribute to an early New Zealand botanical artist, by Michele Leggott and Catherine Field-Dodgson.

Leslie Adkin: Farmer Photographer

A superb selection of the work of one of New Zealand’s finest early photographers.

Dear Colin, Dear Ron: The Selected Letters of Colin McCahon and Ron O’Reilly

A long friendship in art and ideas through letters.

Te Ata o Tū The Shadow of Tūmatauenga: The New Zealand Wars Collections of Te Papa

Accessible, important guide to the taonga relating to the New Zealand wars held by Te Papa.

Flora: Celebrating Our Botanical World

The magnificent plant world of Aotearoa New Zealand in art and object.

Book cover with a four women dressed in togas leaning over a lily pond.

Through Shaded Glass: Women and photography in Aotearoa New Zealand 1860–1960

Shining the light on New Zealand’s women photographers.

Tiny Statements: A social history of Aotearoa New Zealand in badges

The words and symbols we’ve worn. This small book with a big heart delves into Te Papa’s collections of over 1600 badges to examine how New Zealanders have used badges to join, belong, resist, defy and celebrate.

Badges of Aotearoa New Zealand Poster

Based on collections featured in the book ‘Tiny Statements: A Social History of Aotearoa New Zealand in Badges’, this beautiful, decorative poster of a century’s worth of badge designs.

A giant man is kneeling and a life-size girl is looking up at his face

Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War

The story of a defining campaign and a monumental exhibition.

Dogs in Early New Zealand Photographs

Adorable and sometimes surprising historic images of New Zealand dogs and their owners.

Hei Taonga mā ngā Uri Whakatipu | Treasures for the Rising Generation: The Dominion Museum Ethnological Expeditions 1919–1923

A landmark book about four remarkable museum expeditions that contributed to a recovery of Māori society

Dressed: Fashionable dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910

When crinolines, bustles and ostrich feathers were the height of colonial fashion – from ball gowns and riding habits to tea gowns and dresses worn for presentation to Queen Victoria.

Rita Angus: An Artist’s Life

Revised edition of the award-winning biography of one of New Zealand's most famous women artists.

Prehistoric Man in Palliser Bay

Encountering 1,000 years of life in Palliser Bay

Railways Studios: How a Government Design Studio Helped Build New Zealand

A definitive illustrated history of the graphic work of the railways studios.

Crafting Aotearoa: A Cultural History of Making in New Zealand and the Wider Moana Oceania

A landmark publication that takes another look at craft and its broader cultural role.

Protest Tautohetohe: Objects of Resistance, Persistence and Defiance

An illustrated history of protest and activism in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Te Hei Tiki: An Enduring Treasure in a Cultural Continuum

Of all Māori personal adornments, the human figure pendants known as hei tiki are the most famous, highly prized and culturally iconic. This book celebrates the long history of hei tiki and the enduring cultural potency of these taonga.

Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing

A beautifully designed and richly illustrated retelling of the unique and powerful history of Sāmoan tattooing, from 3,000 years ago to modern practices.

Peter McLeavey: The life and times of a New Zealand art dealer

From Montana award-winning author Jill Trevelyan comes the first biography of Peter McLeavey, the charismatic, pioneering art dealer who since the 1960s has shaped – even transformed – New Zealand art.

Tangata o le Moana: New Zealand and the People of the Pacific

Discover a millennium of exploration, encounter, and cultural exchange in this beautifully illustrated history of Pacific peoples in New Zealand.

Brian Brake: Lens on the World

The complete life and work of Brian Brake, New Zealand’s best-known photographer, has at last been encapsulated in one stunning book.