Coronation commemoratives
The sixth of May 2023 sees the coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. As well as watching the ceremony on TV, some New Zealanders may choose to buy or make a special souvenir to mark the occasion.
History
Read about trans histories, the Moon Landing, colonisation and impact, Edmund Hilary, tiny activism, Scots in New Zealand, and so much more.
Following the Queen: Brian Brake on tour with Queen Elizabeth II
One of the Te Papa collection connections with the late Queen Elizabeth II is via the photographs of Brian Brake.
Queen Elizabeth II – Her coronation and first visit to New Zealand in 1953
New Zealanders celebrated two royal events in 1953. In the middle of the year, their new monarch Elizabeth II was crowned; six months later she came to Aotearoa New Zealand in person.
Leslie Adkin on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and visit to New Zealand 1953–54
View excerpts from Leslie Adkins’ diaries – and photographs – documenting Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation celebrations in Aotearoa New Zealand, and the royal tour of 1953–54.
Quiz: How well do you know protest in Aotearoa?
New Zealand has had its fair share of major protest issues, and over the decades New Zealanders have become adept at mobilising around causes – from protests about wars, to the rights of women and LGBTQI+ people, protecting the environment, and race relations.
Sir Edmund Hillary’s Everest rock pendant
It is 100 years since Sir Edmund Hillary was born. Te Papa recently acquired a pendant featuring a rock Hillary collected from the first successful summit of Mt Everest / Chomolungma.
Listen: New Zealand’s Mid-Century Public Art panel talk
In 1950s New Zealand, architects made a habit of commissioning artists to make site-specific works for new buildings. Listen to panellists discuss why – and what happened afterwards.
Listen: Housing for Health, Happiness, and Justice
Listen to leading architects, researchers, and advocates discussing the role of housing in creating a fairer, happier, healthier society.
Make a medal for an everyday hero
Share the Anzac spirit by making a medal for an everyday hero – an essential worker, or someone in your bubble. Wear it when you stand at dawn, and tag us on Facebook when you share a photo.
The stay at home quiz
Board games, television, sewing, weaving, cooking – many of us are trying to keep ourselves entertained while staying at home. Perhaps this quiz, using items from the collections, will help inspire your next project or activity.
The Scots in New Zealand
Think ‘Scots in New Zealand’, and your thoughts will probably turn to tartan, bagpipes, and ‘Auld Lang Syne’. But look beyond these and you’ll find a Scottish presence everywhere in New Zealand life.
Tubular lamp: industrial design in the home
Made from exposed tubular steel, John Crichton's lamp brought industrial materials and processes into the domestic interior and would have seemed radical in 1950s New Zealand. Te Papa decided to recreate it for Modern Living using historic photographs.
Quiz: The Moon landing
50 years ago the world celebrated landing on the moon. How’s your space knowledge? Put it to the test.
What remains: When photos capture fleeting nature of time
Collections Data Technician Gareth Watkins finds a series of photographs from the 1800s where a combination of movement and long exposure has created unusual, ghostly scenes.
Listen: Professor Jay Winter on photographing the Great War
Hear a talk by historian Jay Winter, exploring the ‘Kodak revolution’ of World War I and the extensive trail of unofficial photography that ensued.
Saving food, saving lives: WW1 food posters
This collection of propaganda posters was produced by the United States Food Administration during the First World War.
Bring on the bum roll… Dressing for Splendour
Surgical enhancement to make bottoms bigger seems to be all the rage recently. In the 18th century ladies simply paid a visit to her local ‘bum-shop’ to purchase something a little less painful – a tie-on bum-roll.
Quiz: How well do you know Aotearoa New Zealand?
Do you recognise New Zealand in the 1800s and 1900s? Guess where these images by historic photographers Muir & Moodie and the Burton Brothers were taken.
Get it on: Condoms
Today, no form of birth control is as widespread as the condom – or as essential for sexual health. But it wasn’t always so.
The power of lace – making European Splendour 1500-1800
Justine Olsen, curator of decorative art and design discusses the fine process of conserving and preparing lace for display.
Listen: The Topp Twins and the dolls
These miniature works of knitted art hail from Invercargill, and might just be the ultimate Kiwiana tribute to two of New Zealand’s most popular characters – Camp Mother and Camp Leader, the creations of Lynda and Jools Topp – the Topp Twins.
Photographing New Zealand’s limbless soldiers of WWI
In 1918, the New Zealand army commissioned photographs of servicemen who had lost limbs during the war. This was part of a government scheme to show that these men were still competent and employable.
Gifts for fathers through the years
Father's Day is celebrated in New Zealand on the first Sunday of September. We've had a rummage through Collections Online and brought together some of our favourite 'dad gifts'.
Conserving and dressing 18th century dresses
Textile conservator Anne Peranteau, and costume mount maker Sam Gatley describe the process of preparing two 18th century dresses for display in an exhibition.
Quiz: The 1918 influenza pandemic
The 1918 influenza lasted three years and infected roughly a quarter of the world’s population. But how much do you know about it?
Meeting John Clarke, and cleaning Fred Dagg’s gumboots for customs
Curator Stephanie Gibson recounts the story of how Te Papa acquired beloved Kiwi everyman Fred Dagg’s iconic outfit.
