Exhibitions On now

Inside the Mana Whenua exhibition

Mana Whenua

Experience powerful stories that celebrate Māori as tangata whenua – the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

In Mana Whenua, explore the richness of Māori life and heritage through taongataonga treasures, oral histories, and contemporary art works. Encounter taonga tuku ihotaonga tuku iho treasures handed down ranging from weaving, carving, and pounamupounamu greenstone pendants, to wakawaka canoes and wharewhare buildings.

TamarikiTamariki children can explore te ao Māorite ao Māori the Māori world through activities in the Te Huka ā Tai Discovery Centre next door.

Plan your visit
  • When Long-term exhibition
  • Where Level 4
  • Cost Free entry
  • Ages All ages
  • Allow 30 minutes
  • Accessibility
    • Wheelchair accessible (Please note that the inside of Te Hau ki Tūranga is not accessible by a wheelchair, mobility scooter, or similar.)
    • Variable lighting
    • No photography

    Find out more about accessibility at Te Papa

Highlights

  • Teremoe – a waka tauawaka taua war canoe from the Whanganui region, used in battles during the New Zealand wars of the mid 1800s.
  • Tchakat Moriori – the story of Moriori, the original inhabitants of the remote islands of Rēkohu, also known as the Chatham Islands or Wharekauri.
  • Te Aurere – the ancestral voyages from Hawaiki, a distant place of origin, presented through the journey of Te Aurere, a modern voyaging waka.
  • Te Hau ki Tūranga – an exceptional meeting house at the heart of the iwiiwi tribal exhibition Ko Rongowhakaata: The Story of Light and Shadow, and also at the core of Mana Whenua. 

Activities

Discover more Kia kitea ake

View more items

Exhibition highlights Taonga whakaatu

See more highlights

StoreWharehoko

Browse the store

Get our newsletter

Stay in the loop about our wide range of events and exhibitions.

Register

Follow us

Follow our social media channels for a glimpse behind the scenes at Te Papa.

Join Friends of Te Papa

Friends enjoy benefits and discounts including invitations to previews and private viewings.

Join

Donate

Find out how you can support Te Papa through a donation or bequest by becoming a patron.

Donate