ExhibitionsTemporarily closed

(Temporarily closed) Gallipoli: The Scale of Our WarKaripori: Te pakanga nui

Temporarily closed – Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War is temporarily closed from Monday 21 July to Friday 12 September for essential maintenance and upgrades necessary to extend the life of the exhibition.

It will open to the public again on Saturday 13 September 2025.

Te Papa has joined forces with Wētā Workshop to create an exhibition like no other. This ground-breaking exhibition tells the story of the Gallipoli campaign in World War I through the eyes and words of eight ordinary New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances.

When | Āhea

Temporarily closed.
Reopening Sat 13 September

Where | Ki hea

Level 2

Cost | Te utu

Free with museum entry

Ages | TE REANGA

Parental guidance recommended

Allow | ME WHAKARITE

60+ minutes

Accessibility | E wātea ana ki

Wheelchair accessible (exhibition space includes two ramps).
Contains graphic content and realistic sound.
Variable lighting and some small spaces.
Photography permitted. No flash.
Please keep phones on silent.

This exhibition explores the experiences of real New Zealanders on Gallipoli through their own words and images. Certain content may disturb some visitors. Adults, please supervise your children.

Find out more about accessibility at Te Papa

Temporary closure

Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War is temporarily closed from Monday 21 July to Friday 12 September for essential maintenance and upgrades necessary to extend the life of the exhibition.

It will open to the public again on Saturday 13 September 2025.

Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War combines the world of museums with the world-class creative artistry of Weta Workshop to immerse you in the eight-month Gallipoli campaign.

The ground-breaking exhibition tells the story through the eyes and words of eight ordinary New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. Each is captured frozen in a moment of time on a monumental scale – 2.4 times human size.

The giant sculptures took a staggering 24,000 hours to create, and countless hours were spent researching their rich histories.

Cutting-edge technology was also used to create 3-D maps and projections, miniatures, models, dioramas, and a range of interactive experiences that bring New Zealand’s Gallipoli story to life.

In total, 2,779 Kiwis lost their lives on Gallipoli, and many others were scarred forever. Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War takes you to the core of this defining event.

Exhibition book

A giant man is kneeling and a life-size girl is looking up at his face

Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War

The story of a defining campaign and a monumental exhibition.

About the exhibition

A man works on one of the giant model's faces.

Behind the scenes of Gallipoli

Watch how Wētā Workshop and Te Papa create an exhibition like no other.

Individual hairs are added to the head of a giant

The making of Gallipoli in pictures

See how the eight giants featured in Gallipoli came to life at Wētā Workshops.

Wētā Workshop's Sir Richard Taylor with the machine gunners trio, 2015. Photo by Michael Hall. Te Papa

Visitors reflect at the large scale model of Percival Fenwick, 2015. Photo by Michael Hall. Te Papa

Visitors examine the cut-through model of soldiers' kit in the exhibition, 2015. Photo by Norm Heke. Te Papa

Visitors explore the exhibition, 2015. Photo by Norm Heke. Te Papa

A visitor in the replica of Malone's dugout, 2015. Photo by Norm Heke. Te Papa

Discover moreKia kitea ake

Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War
The story of a defining campaign and a monumental exhibition.
Behind the scenes of Gallipoli
Watch as Wētā Workshop and Te Papa combine the worlds of movies, model-making, and museums to create an exhibition like no other.
The making of Gallipoli in pictures
See how the eight giants featured in Gallipoli came to life at Wētā Workshops.
Blogs about Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War
Read blogs about behind-the-scenes work that goes into this exhibition, research into people and places, and direct connections with people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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.
Anzacs of Aotearoa New Zealand
ANZAC refers to the soldiers from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia who served in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the First World War. Anzac Day is held annually on April 25 as a national day of remembrance to commemorate those who served and those who died in all international wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.
History
Read about trans histories, the Moon Landing, colonisation and impact, Edmund Hilary, tiny activism, Scots in New Zealand, and so much more.
Browse World War I topics on Collections Online
These topics illustrate the breadth and nature of Te Papa's WWI-related collections.