News

Our Community in Focus

Welcome to our space for news, reflections, and updates from Te Papa and our community of Friends. Here you’ll find highlights from recent events, behind-the-scenes insights, and the President’s monthly letter — all celebrating the people and stories that make Te Papa special.

Alex Hockley Alex Hockley

Friends of Hocken Library

Banks’ Florilegium prints are now available individually for the first time, offered exclusively through the Friends of the Hocken Collections. These rare botanical engravings—created during Captain Cook’s first voyage—include limited‑edition plates with only one to three prints ever produced. Each purchase supports the Friends’ work, with a 40% contribution from every sale.

Read More
Alex Hockley Alex Hockley

AGM 2026 Speaker Michael Upchurch

This year’s AGM features a keynote from Michael Upchurch, Publisher at Te Papa Press, the award‑winning publishing arm of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Read More
Jodi Markham Jodi Markham

Thank You from the Library

Thanks to the generous koha from Friends of Te Papa Reading Group attendees, we’re continuing to transform one of our most valuable research collections.

Read More
Jodi Markham Jodi Markham

Annual General Meeting 2025

The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Inc will be held on Thursday 24 July 2025 at 6pm.

Read More
Jodi Markham Jodi Markham

Te Papa Foundation Gala

Wellington’s premier black-tie fundraising evening, the Te Papa Foundation Gala brings together Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading supporters of arts and culture.

Read More

Upcoming Events

Join Us

Be part of the Friends and enjoy exclusive exhibition previews, talks, tours, and workshops, plus discounts in Te Papa’s cafés and stores, free parking at events, and behind-the-scenes updates — all while supporting the museum’s collections, research, and programmes.

Image credits (from top): Visitors interacting with Te Papa's Mauri installation; Storybox | Photographing migrating shorebirds; Keith Woodley