Bush, Bugs, and Bones

Explore our living and growing exhibition in Bush City. Discover how bugs and bones can help us learn about our natural environment.

Education type

Education visit

Duration

1 hour

Suitable for

ECE

Te Whāriki

Belonging, Contribution, Communication, Exploration

Cost

$3.00 per child

Guided by our learning specialists, your early childhood students will:

Explore Bush City looking at different ferns and plants and their characteristics
Learn about what makes Aotearoa New Zealand flora unique
Learn names and ways of identifying different flora
Get up close and handle some of Te Papa’s objects – bugs and bones
Dig for a dinosaur fossil and learn about how fossils help us understand ancient times.

Book this programme if your tamariki are:

Gazing at insects, 2015. Te Papa

Learning innovation e-newsletter

Hear about our new education programmes, resources, and exhibitions, plus opportunities for teacher previews and professional development.

Bush City
Step outside into a living, growing exhibition. Explore native bush and a volcanic landscape.
Please note: Bush City and parts of the amphitheatre are closed from Monday, 16 March, through to mid‑May for the Riser Pipe Replacement Project.
Temporarily closed (16 March to mid-May 2026)
Bush City closes each day at 5pm
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
It’s a Bug’s Life science resource for ECE and Primary
Early childhood, Primary
Teaching scientific skills, knowledge, and practices in ECE settings and primary schools is made easy with this hands-on resource.
Education resource
Te Taiao | Nature
You’re the explorer in our Te Taiao | Nature exhibition zone. Celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique natural environment – and get ready for our future as kaitiaki.
On now
Permanent exhibition
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga