Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
What art does an art curator like? What makes a piece of art important? Our art curators talk about their favourite artworks and describe particular pieces in our collection.
Many of the treasures in the National Art Collection have come into the museum as generous gifts – from collectors, artists, their families, and the public. To mark the Te Papa Foundation’s Annual Appeal, Curator Modern Art Lizzie Bisley looks here at some of the wonderful artworks and collections that have been gifted to the nation over the past 157 years.
Who is this man with this mysterious gaze? Curator Lizzie Bisley unpacks Raymond McIntyre’s portrait of Edward McKnight Kauffer.
“When I first unpacked this work from its travelling crate an uncontrollable shiver went up my spine.”
“In an ideal world I would wear this necklace to a party.”
“When installed and backlit, the work casts thousands of shadows that envelop the viewer.”
Art curator Rebecca Rice discusses the importance of the panoramic French wallpaper 'Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique' in the context of both 'Lisa Reihana: Emissaries' and James Cook’s voyages.
What does female sexuality look like in art? Here, it looks like monsters, mermaids, and minotaurs…
A vibrant collection of travel posters designed by Arthur Thompson in the 1950s for TEAL, the forerunner of Air New Zealand.
Art curator Mark Stocker interviews LEGO professional Ryan McNaught. They discuss the contentious subject of whether LEGO can be seen as art.
Art curator Mark Stocker highlights five fascinating facts you probably didn’t know about the great French sculptor Auguste Rodin.
Dr Mark Stocker's lecture explores Rodin's slow – even painful – rise to fame, the controversies he sparked, and some of his most renowned works, including The Thinker and The Kiss.
