In this reflective session, Sarah Hopkinson, Head of Learning, Te Papa will explore the compelling role museums play within Aotearoa’s wider education ecosystem.
Sarah will discuss how museums can nurture creativity, collaboration, and community in ways that complement and extend the curriculum. She will reference recent Te Papa Learning events that foreground embodied, socially connected approaches to learning.

Looking ahead, Sarah will gesture toward the aspirational direction for Te Papa Learning: a future where museum learning supports long‑term growth, cultivates diverse forms of knowledge, and provides spaces where young people and teachers can flourish.

The session will conclude with an open discussion inviting the Friends of Te Papa community to reflect on what museum education means to them — their aspirations, their hopes for young people, and the role they believe museums should play in shaping Aotearoa’s learning futures.

Image Credit: Supplied by Sarah Hopkinson