National Services Te Paerangi

12/06/2026

Call for abstracts extended for NZCCM conference!

The New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials Pū Manaaki Kahurangi - NZCCM conference is taking place in September. Call for abstracts (max 200 words) deadline has been extended to 17th June. Details below ⬇️

11/06/2026

A WINZ success story, Ian Wards first started cataloguing maps at University of Canterbury, before moving into curatorial and exhibition development roles. In this piece, he describes how over the past three decades he’s moved throughout the gallery and museum worlds in Aotearoa.

A WINZ success story, Ian Wards first started cataloguing maps at University of Canterbury, before moving into curatorial and exhibition…

10/06/2026

Petrol rationing, carless days, speed limit cuts — Aotearoa has been through several fuel crises. As the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, MOTAT's Head of Curatorial Research, Belinda Nevin, looks back at how New Zealand navigated the fuel crises of the 1940s and 70s by surfacing pieces from across our national collection.

Connecting Collections, Aotearoa New Zealand

03/06/2026

In acknowledgement of King’s Birthday 2026, Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga have shared a kete | set on Kōtuia which follows Prince Charles through the decades to his coronation as King Charles III in 2023.

These items are part of an growing royal collection at the Thames Museum, formed following the bequeath of a large donation of commemorative ‘Royal China’ from the estate of local collector, Barry Thorburn twenty years ago. Contributions to the collection continue, and now number hundreds of objects.

Check out the kete | set:

Find out more about King Charles III and the Royal Family at the Thames Museum at Kōtuia ngā Kete Connecting Collections, Aotearoa New Zealand

02/06/2026

Lecture: A thousand words: Photographic archives in Aotearoa (In-person & online)

Monday 29th June, 6- 7.30pm, Free

Catherine Hammond’s Founder Lecture will discuss the role and impact of photographic archives as complex repositories of memory and research.

Currently Director of Collections and Research at Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Catherine has more than 20-years’ experience working with artists’ archives in major cultural institutions in Aotearoa.

She will discuss the recent book and touring exhibition, A Different Light: First Photographs of Aotearoa, and reflect on archives and meaning-making in examples ranging from Marti Friedlander to Frances Hodgkins, feminist photographic practice and whānau portraiture.

For online registration, see here: https://dia-nz.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V-4FsHx-TdC7_Y5Z-phcsA #/

To attend the event at National Library, Wgtn, see here : https://events.humanitix.com/catherine-hammond-founder-lecture-2026-a-thousand-words-photographic-archives-in-aotearoa

Founder Lecture 2026: A Thousand Words: Photographic Archives in Aotearoa

28/05/2026

We’re stoked to welcome Space Place at Carter Observatory as the latest organisation added to our collection sharing site Kōtuia ngā Kete!

Collection items shared online by Space Place include include a number of transit telescopes originally used to determine accurate time, as well as space and comet paintings by noted amateur astronomer and broadcaster Peter Alfred Read.

Check out the collection here: https://www.kotuia.org.nz/organisation-page/org-page-3267/

The Space Place collection items join more than 1.6 million collection items from over 90 collections on the Kōtuia website. This growing portal provides insights into collective histories of Aotearoa.

Whether space is your passion, or something more down to earth, we hope you'll find something on Kōtuia to spark curiosity about Aotearoa. Let us know what you find!

28/05/2026

Self-described as the only “yodeling le****ns in the world”, the Huntly-born Topp twins started busking on the streets of Auckland in the 1970s – 1980s and went on to perform at protests and public events relating to women's rights, homosexual law reform, and Māori land rights.

In honour of Jools Topp’s life (1958 – 2026), who brought to life characters including Camp Leader, Ken Smythe, Raelene and Prue, here are a selection of pieces from across our national collection which shine a light on her indomitable spirit and creative life.

Find out more about Cultivating character consciousness | Jools Topp (1958 – 2026) at Kōtuia ngā Kete Connecting Collections, Aotearoa New Zealand

21/05/2026

As you may know, Te Papa has been going through an organisational change process, and this means there will be changes to how we serve the sector. In this message our Kaihautū, Arapata Hakiwai explains:

___________

Tēnā koutou

As you are aware, Te Papa has been going through a whole-of-organisation change process to help secure the museum’s long-term financial sustainability.

This has been an opportunity to assess not only how our teams are structured, but also how we can build efficiencies into our processes to work better together and continue to deliver services to the communities we support.

We have now shared the final decisions for the second phase of our organisational change with our kaimahi. These are the final changes we are making to our structure as part of this process.

Upholding our commitment to sector support

Through our organisational change, we have maintained our ability to support and partner with museums, galleries, and iwi through National Services Te Paerangi.

Faced with the reality that we need to make necessary salary savings to secure Te Papa’s long-term financial sustainability, we have had to assess the way our teams are structured, and how our services are delivered.

Some changes in the National Services Te Paerangi team at Te Papa mean the way in which we provide support to communities may look a little different in the future.

More flexible support to communities

We have confirmed that we will be reducing the number of Museum Development Adviser positions in the National Services Te Paerangi team from two to one.

This is a decision that has been made following feedback from kaimahi in response to changes proposed across the organisation. It has not been an easy decision to make.

As a result of this we expect that you will see more flexibility in the way we offer support, shifting to more remote engagement where appropriate. We are committed to ensuring our support remains timely, consistent, and equitable, regardless of location.

We acknowledge we need to remain accessible to our communities, and trust that the team will do what is necessary to be able to continue providing quality sector support, whilst working with the resources available.

Broadened remit for other positions

We have also confirmed that we are broadening the remit of the Manager Iwi Development and Iwi Development Adviser positions within the National Services Te Paerangi team to be able to provide advisory support for national museums and galleries as well as iwi and iwi-based organisations.

This change will help to ensure the National Services Te Paerangi team is equipped to respond appropriately to emerging sector needs.

These changes will take effect from 1 July 2026.

Thank you for your trust, support, and understanding while we work through our organisational change process.

Ngā manaakitanga,
Arapata Hakiwai

If you have any questions about the change process or outcomes, please email [email protected]

Send a message to learn more

20/05/2026

One of our latest partners to join Kōtuia is the Parliamentary Collection, which contains around 4,500 objects, diplomatic gifts and art pieces.

It includes art pieces from Colin McCahon, Frances Hodgkins, and Ralph Hōtere, working heritage pieces, and memorabilia including 1970s carpet samples from the Beehive, staff uniforms and many of the catering items from the in-house Bellamy’s restaurant.

In this piece, Jillian Van Siclen, Parliament Visitor Host and Art and Collections Intern writes about the breadth of the collection, how people can view it, and the team's efforts to digitise the collection, so it is accessible to the wider public.

https://www.kotuia.org.nz/The%20Art%20Objects%20and%20Gifts%20of%20Parliament/

Caption: Bellamy’s Cigarette Box, Alexander Clark & Co., 1961. Parliamentary Collection

12/05/2026

Join the Interpretation Network of New Zealand (INNZ)'s latest webinar: 'Helen of Troy meets The Bachelor: 3D printing of antiquities as a pedagogical tool.'
Tuesday, 26 May 12pm-1pm.

The webinar will be presented by Diana Burton, Associate Professor of Classics and the Curator of Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington’s Classics Museum.

Diana will discuss how the Museum and the School of Design collaborated to develop innovative ways for students and the public to engage with the Museum's artefacts through 3D printing techniques.

If you are:
•studying or working in interpretation/visitor experience
•interested in 3D printing
•an educator
•a Classics enthusiast.....or all of the above

Tuesday 26 May, 12-1pm
Zoom
INNZ Members FREE
Non-members $20 + .90 Humanitix fee
Students $10 + .60 Humanitix fee
Register here:

Victoria University Classics Museum holds a small collection of antiquities.  It is designed as a teaching collection to give students hands-on experience with ancient artworks.