MUSEUM OF NEW ZEALAND TE PAPA TONGAREWA
New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa Tongawera, is home to a variety of Māori treasures. There are numerous exhibitions, both temporary and long-standing, for visitors to explore and learn about Māori culture. The Mana Whenua exhibition features contemporary and ancient artworks, oral histories and taonga, plus notable artefacts like a 19th-century waka taua (war canoe). A must-see at the museum is the huge marae including a wharenui, a traditional Maori meeting house decorated with carved ancestral images. Although the original Treaty of Waitangi (1840) is housed at the National Library, Te Papa Tongawera’s exhibition, Treaty of Waitangi: Signs Of A Nation, explores the relationships between the peoples of Aotearoa (Māori for New Zealand). In this exhibition, visitors will also find many treasures that belonged to four influential Māori chiefs who signed the treaty. For those who don’t want to miss a thing, the museum offers a Māori Highlights Tour – a guided tour that combines exhibits with stories and insights about Māori culture, art and history. With many visual and interactive displays, it is the perfect place for a family day out. The museum is also an ideal place to visit for anyone interested in Māori history and especially those who are unfamiliar with the indigenous culture.
Open daily, 10am-6pm. Free entry. tepapa.govt.nz