Reviews

Ken Gorbey’s Talk: Why Te Papa

On 18 March Ken Gorbey  delivered a stimulating and thought-provoking address on  museums –what is their role, and what are our expectations of a museum, both locally and nationally.

Read more |April 7, 2021

Review: Friends visit to the Artspace Gallery

For well-known Wellington artist Ronda Thompson, the best time to capture the magic of a landscape is early morning or evening.

Read more |February 23, 2021

Review: Friends Art Narrative Tour

“Some things you just walk past….you miss things” commented a participant in the 4 February Friends tour of art on show in Te Papa’s fifth floor galleries. She didn’t only mean the little details. The tour had made us focus on works, really look at what was in front

Read more |February 17, 2021

Review: Tales from the Back Rooms

If you’d like tales giving history, detail and context together with a wander through Te Papa’s Tory Street storerooms you would have loved our recent Back of House Tours with curator Katie Cooper

Read more |February 12, 2021

Review: World of WearableArt – Up Close Tour

Guided by enthusiastic Te Papa hosts, various groups of Friends were able to immerse ourselves in this extraordinary exhibition for a couple of hours which was an enthralling experience. Hearing the back-stories to each garment provided a glimpse into the minds

Read more |January 26, 2021

Art Evenings at Parliament

Two groups of Friends, forty in each group, were given exclusive guided tours of the Parliamentary art collection on Wednesday 25 November and Friday 27 November. The tours were followed by a delicious three course dinner prepared by Bellamys Logan Brown.

Read more |January 11, 2021

Review: Ngā Wai e Rua: Stories of Us

Who was behind the lens? What motivates the filmmaker? How/Why are New Zealanders portrayed in this footage? How do we perceive this footage today? What stories and people were less likely to be filmed?

Read more |December 15, 2020

Review: Paintvine Painting Experience

It was a night “to feel the fear and do it anyway”. Conversation stopped as we concentrated intensely, trying to achieve perfection.

Read more |December 2, 2020

Review: Lyall Bay Art Walk

This walk was planned for a lovely sunny day but Wellington delivered a more than fresh wind and a chilly temperature to accompany a visit by 20 Friends of Te Papa to two special spaces in Lyall Bay.

Read more |November 24, 2020

Review: Edward Burne-Jones’ Italian Sketchbook

There was a good turnout for this lecture by Dr Mark Stocker, retired art historian and former curator at Te Papa. The British artist Edward Burne-Jones is closely associated

Read more |November 24, 2020