Making Histories: Communities and Covid-19

Making Histories is a Te Papa project which aims to support visitors and communities around New Zealand to reflect on and share their experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the midst of these uncertain times, it also aims to foster longer-term discussions about issues such as work, health and wellbeing, racism, and inequality in Aotearoa by highlighting under-represented experiences and perspectives.

The community coalition bridging the gaps in Aotearoa’s Covid-19 response

The community coalition bridging the gaps in Aotearoa’s Covid-19 response

After 2020’s nationwide lockdown, a coalition of local Korean community groups came together to address gaps in the national Covid-19 response. Their born-digital objects and stories are being recorded by Te Papa, in collaboration with Turnbull Library, as part of Te Papa’s Making Histories project.
A year since lockdown: Collecting to tell the story of Covid-19

A year since lockdown: Collecting to tell the story of Covid-19

It’s been a year since Aotearoa New Zealand first went into lockdown in a move to restrict the spread of Covid-19. During this month-long period people sought to process the magnitude of what was happening through creative expression and entrepreneurial adaptations. Find out what we’ve been collecting from that time.
Aotearoa speaks: Are we a team of five million?

Aotearoa speaks: Are we a team of five million?

Are we a team of five million? Hundreds of people recorded their answers to this question in the EggFruit, a mobile recording booth that popped up next to Te Papa in the last week of February. So what did they say?
Migrant and international student perspectives on Covid-19 in Aotearoa

Migrant and international student perspectives on Covid-19 in Aotearoa

In February we ran a workshop focussing on the Covid-19 experiences of people from international student and migrant backgrounds. Here, Curator Asian New Zealand Histories Dr Grace Gassin shares insights from the kōrero.
Making histories: reflecting on experiences of Covid-19

Making histories: reflecting on experiences of Covid-19

Curator Asian New Zealand Histories Dr Grace Gassin introduces Making Histories – a Te Papa project exploring different experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kowheori-19 │ Covid-19

Kowheori-19 │ Covid-19

Our Covid-19 collecting themes include life in lockdown, official campaigns, photographs of spontaneous community messaging, essential workers, mask making and wearing, Māori responses, New Zealanders of Asian and Pacific heritages and their experiences, racialisation of the virus, and Pacific region responses.
Clothing the Pandemic (ICOM Solidarity Project)

Clothing the Pandemic (ICOM Solidarity Project)

Connecting international museums and curators documenting and contextualising the use of facemasks during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020–21.
Making Sense of Pandemic

Making Sense of Pandemic

Understanding the experiences of ethnic Chinese in Aotearoa during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Postcards to the Future – where was your head at?

Postcards to the Future – where was your head at?

In May 2020, we reopened our doors to the public after three months of closure due to Covid-19 lockdown. We invited our visitors to write a postcard to themselves about their experiences of lockdown, and we sent them out six months later.