Below we have tried to answer some of your frequently asked questions, if you cannot find what you need below please contact the office at [email protected]

Becoming a Friend, renewing & gifting membership

How can I become a Friend?

Becoming a Friend is easy; sign up online or in Te Papa at the Information Desk, Level 2. For the fastest service please join below.

JOIN NOW

How can I renew my membership?

All new membership purchases will be set-up as a yearly subscription. Near the end of the subscription we will email you a reminder that your membership will shortly renew. Your membership will automatically renew, you do not need to do anything.

If you no longer wish to remain a member of the Friends or wish to manually pay each renewal, at any time you can switch off Auto renew which will leave your membership in place until it expires at the end of your subscription.

No credit card information is stored on our website. Windcave process the renewals securely and without sharing any details you’ve entered back to our website.

View your subscription

If you prefer, you can phone the office (04) 381 7051 to renew over the phone by credit card.

How do I end my membership?

Login to the site and go to My Subscriptions page. If you have an Active subscription then it will show up. Look at the Auto renew option. If it is turned on, then you can simply turn it off so that it says “Via Manual Renew” on the next line. This will keep your current membership and prevent any automatic renewal on the renewal date. If you change your mind later, you can set Auto renew back on. Or if your current membership has already expired, you can choose to Pay Now.

How do I setup automatic renewals

All new membership purchases will automatically renew, one year after the initial purchase. Our payment provider Windcave handles the repeat

If you have changed your payment to manual or subscribed before November 2023 then please follow these steps to setup automatic renewals:

Click on My Subscription under the My Account menu.

Click View next to your active subscription

Toggle the slider in the Auto-renew row of the table so that it is on. You might need to save your credit card if there isn’t one setup already.

How do I setup manual renewals

If you prefer to pay each new subscription manually, you can change your subscription to ‘manual renewal’. This means you will receive an invoice shortly before your subscription expires with a link to purchase next years membership.

To change to manual renewal please follow these steps:

Click on My Subscription under the My Account menu.

Click View next to your active subscription

Toggle the slider in the Auto-renew row of the table so that it is off

Will I receive a new card when I renew my membership?

Yes, once we’ve processed your renewal you’ll receive your new card in the post. This is usually completed within 10 working days, but at peak renewal time (April-May) this may take longer, thank you for your patience.

Can I add someone to my Membership or upgrade my Membership?

Yes. You are welcome to upgrade your Membership at any time by calling the office (04) 381 7051. Please note new members will be valid until the end of the existing membership.

Can I purchase membership as a gift?

Absolutely! A Friends of Te Papa membership makes for a perfect gift that lasts all year. Please use the button below, enter their details and leave a note for us to let us know it’s a gift.

GIFT MEMBERSHIP

My order is incorrect, how can I change it?

If you’ve placed an order and it is not displaying as what you expected this is probably due to the quantity being incorrect. You can adjust the quantity by going into your ‘shopping cart‘ which can be found along the top navigation bar. Or if you’re on the checkout page you can click the ‘Back to Cart’ button at the topr right of the checkout form. You can adjust the quantity by hovering your mouse over the number and using the up and down buttons or clicking into the box and changing the number. Once you have the correct amount, click the orange ‘Update Cart’ button.

Privacy & Security

How can I update my postal address or contact information?

You can do this through your online membership account with us under ‘My Account’, by calling the office on 04 381 7051 or email the office on [email protected]

What is your privacy policy? How will you use my personal data?

We have a very strict privacy policy and you can be assured that your information is not shared with third parties. Your information is stored on our secured online database and is only seen by the Friends office and committee when necessary. We use your data to keep you up to date with services and events.

How secure is my online payment?

To ensure your security, credit card details are sent through a secure payment server. We neither see nor store credit card details from your online payments. For phone orders, where you give us your credit card details, these are not retained after the transaction is completed. The currency referred to is New Zealand dollars. Stripe offers a service in which you can save payment information to your account for future purchases’ on the payment page. These details are not saved on the Friends of Te Papa website, but are stored in a secure vault on the Stripe site.

I have forgotten / don’t know my website login password?

No worries, it happens to all of us. Click here Lost your password and enter the email address you signed up with email address. Instructions on how to reset your password will be sent to your email. If you are still having trouble contact the office (04) 381 7051.

How can I update my temporary password?

Go to My account from the top menu and follow the link to edit your password and account details.

Friends membership cards

When will I receive my membership card?

This is usually completed within 10 working days, but at peak renewal time (April-May) this may take longer, thank you for your patience.

I’m waiting for my card to arrive but want to visit the museum. Can I still access my membership benefits?

Yes you can. Email the office [email protected] and we will send an email confirmation of your membership status, which you can use as a temporary card until your card arrives.

I have lost my membership card, how do I replace it?

If you have lost your membership card we are happy to replace it. Simply email us on [email protected] or call the office on 04 381 7051. Please do try to keep hold of your card as the replacement process is a significant amount of admin time for the office. Please be aware that replacement fees for this service are being discussed.

Friends member benefits and guest passes

Do Friends get discounted entry to ticketed exhibitions?

Yes! Friends of Te Papa members do receive discounts on paid for exhibitions that come to the museum. You can receive your through the Friends of Te Papa website, the Te Papa website or in the museum. The full list of benefits includes:

Be part of the community supporting Our Place, Te Papa & the Friends
Free and private exhibition previews as well as discounted entry to all exhibitions at Te Papa
Access to our exclusive programme including private viewings, workshops, talks, tours and much more
Knowledge that your membership contributes to collections, research and special projects in Te Papa
Behind the scenes insights and the latest updates from us & the museum with our e-newsletter
Benefit from 10% off in Te Papa’s cafés and stores
Enjoy free parking when attending charged for Friends events and get 2 free parking tickets upon renewing your membership the following year (includes our 5 year membership)

How do I make a donation to the Friends of Te Papa?

Thank you very much for wanting to support the organisation and the programme we run to support the museums collections and research. You can simply donate here:

DONATE

What are exhibition previews and how do I attend?

Exhibition previews allow Friends members to view exhibitions in the museum before the general public. This is true for any paid for exhibition, renewed areas and new free exhibitions. Previews are put up as events on our website.

Can I bring a guest to an Exclusive Member preview?

Previews are reserved for Friends members only, however non-Members can join on the day and start receiving all membership benefits straight away.

Do Friends get free parking?

Friends members are entitled to free parking when attending selected charged for events at Te Papa. Upon renewing your membership you will receive 2 x Friends Annual Tickets for free parking passes to use whenever you wish throughout the year. These passes will not be replaced if lost or stolen as per our terms and conditions.

How do I use my Friends Annual Tickets?

To use your Friends’ ‘entry/exit’ ticket:

When you arrive at the entry barrier to Te Papa’s car park, insert the enclosed ‘entry/exit’ ticket into the ticket slot on the machine. Do not press the button for a new ticket.
The same ‘entry/exit’ ticket will be returned to you. Retrieve it from the machine.
The entry barrier will lift and you can proceed into the car park.
When you are exiting the car park, drive directly to the exit barrier and insert the same ‘entry/exit’ ticket that you used to enter into the machine at the exit.
The machine will swallow your ‘entry/exit’ ticket, the exit barrier will lift and you will be released from the car park.
Note: you will need to check that there is a carpark available before using the parking voucher as it is automatically processed once inserted into the machine on entry.

How do I book for Friends events?

Bookings can be made online or phone the Friends office (04) 381 7051. Early bookings are recommended for all Friends events.

I have booked for an event and have not received my tickets?

Please check your email spam/junk folders before contacting us. Sometimes event tickets/confirmation gets filtered out into these folders. If you can’t find them anywhere contact the office by emailing [email protected] or phone (04) 3817051.

Is a refund available if I cancel my booking for an event?

A refund is available provided the cancellation is made at least 5 working days before the event, unless there are special cancellation provisions published. If an event is cancelled by the Friends of Te Papa, you will be notified immediately and a full refund will be issued.

FAQs