Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Ngā tohu kotahitangaTreaty of Waitangi: Signs of a Nation
Discover how the Treaty has shaped relationships between the peoples of Aotearoa.
See the original Treaty of Waitangi in the He Tohu exhibition at National Library, corner Molesworth and Aitken Streets.
Permanent exhibition
Level 4
Free entry
All ages
20 minutes
The exhibition shows the text from the English and Māori versions of the Treaty. Signs explain differences between them, using the 1989 English version translated by the late Professor Sir Hugh Kawharu (Ngāti Whātua). Kawharu’s translation more accurately reflects the Māori text, and the understanding of chiefs who signed that document.
The area remains open to the public.
Read our media statement about the renewal of this exhibition.
Discover the Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is the founding document of modern Aotearoa New Zealand. It was signed in 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and more than 500 Māori chiefs. In this exhibition, you’ll discover how the Treaty has shaped relationships between the peoples of this nation.
A chief’s flag and other treasures
At the far end of this exhibition space, you’ll find taonga belonging to four influential Māori chiefs who signed the Treaty: Pūmuka, Mohi Tāwhai, Patuone, and Wāka Nene. These precious objects tell personal stories of hope, conflict, and cooperation – at the Treaty signing itself in 1840, and in the tumultuous decades that followed.