Early August Newsletter
Kia orāna e te katoatoa,
We’re delighted to share that our team has been working hard behind the scenes on our new website, a fresh, modern space that will make it easier to explore upcoming events, manage your membership, and stay connected with our Friends community. This project has been months in the making, and we’re very excited to be bringing you a bright new look very soon.
Volunteering with Friends of Te Papa is a wonderful way to support our community. We rely on volunteers at our events to welcome guests, check people in, and help things run smoothly. During our busiest months in March and April, we also call on volunteers to assist with preparing and sending out membership packs. If you’re interested in joining this valued group, we’d love to hear from you.
We have a vibrant season of events coming up in the next few months, we hope you find something which inspires you!
Nancy Adams: Curator Talk and Botany Stores Wednesday, September 9
Join us for a rare chance to go behind the scenes with Te Papa curators Lizzie Bisley and Heidi Meudt and explore the remarkable botanical legacy of Nancy Adams. This tour begins at Nancy Adams: The Art of Seaweed, where her vibrant illustrations and research come to life. You’ll then head back of house to the herbarium to see Adams’ original specimens and learn more about her extraordinary career. It’s a wonderful opportunity to discover how this inspiring Wellingtonian shaped our understanding of Aotearoa’s native flora. More here
August
Museums and National Identity Thursday, August 20
Friends committee member Richard Norman offers an engaging look at how national identities in Central and Eastern Europe have been shaped by centuries of empire, conflict, religion, and reinvention, and how museums and heritage sites help tell these stories. Drawing on his recent journey along the Danube, Richard connects international examples to the challenges and choices facing Aotearoa’s cultural sector today. His deep experience in public administration and museum leadership brings clarity, insight, and a gift for making complex histories come alive.
Peggy Guggenheim: For the Love of Collecting Sunday, August 23
Join distinguished arts educator Charlie Hall for an illuminating journey through the extraordinary life of Peggy Guggenheim. With decades of experience lecturing for Christie’s Education, The Serpentine Gallery, Kirker Holidays, and Soho House, Charlie brings a rare blend of scholarship, storytelling, and on‑the‑ground insight. Guggenheim’s bold collecting shaped the course of Modern art, from her pioneering London gallery to her escape to New York with a circle of avant‑garde artists. The lecture traces her path to Venice, where her eccentric unfinished palazzo became one of the world’s most iconic collections of twentieth‑century art.
He Toi Whakairo — Member Preview Friday, August 28
Be among the first to experience He Toi Whakairo, a major new exhibition showcasing seven centuries of Māori carving. With 147 taonga from the 1300s to today, it highlights whakairo as both an ancestral tradition and a continually evolving artform. This member‑exclusive preview offers a rare early look at an exhibition that will run for five years, a powerful celebration of innovation, skill, and cultural continuity.
September
For the Love of Letterpress Thursday, September 3
Join Sydney Shep for a behind‑the‑scenes visit to Wai-te-ata Press, perfect for anyone fascinated by printing history and machinery. Explore remarkable letterpress technologies, historic presses, and the only working collection of Chinese full‑form heritage type in the southern hemisphere. With Sydney’s expertise and passion, this richly textured tour offers a rare chance to meet an artisan devoted to the craft.
Mahara Gallery Tour Tuesday, September 15
Join the Friends for a relaxed and inspiring afternoon at Toi MAHARA on a specially organised self‑drive guided tour. It’s the perfect chance to bring a friend, enjoy lunch on the Kāpiti Coast, and experience the gallery as a community. Toi MAHARA is a vibrant creative hub, home to four dynamic exhibition spaces celebrating local artistry, toi Māori, historical taonga, and nationally significant work. Highlights include The Expatriates: Frances Hodgkins, Peter Campbell and Graham Percy, offering a vivid snapshot of art currently on display and behind the scenes.
Karin Montgomery: A Garden for Nicola Azzariti Wednesday, September 16
Join us for a special conversation with artist Karin Montgomery, whose extraordinary works draw together ecology, history, craft, and close attention to place. This talk offers a rare chance to hear directly from Montgomery about the ideas, materials, and research that shape her practice, from the quiet life of her garden to the global journeys of plants, and from textile histories to contemporary commissions.
Beyond the Aperture: The Art of Paying Attention Saturday, September 26
Dr Chris McKeown brings together art, neuroscience, and creative practice to explore what motivates artists and what they hope their work sparks in us. His project draws on interviews with creatives from carvers and glassblowers to actors, poets, musicians, comedians, and photographers. Chris invites members into this rich inquiry with his trademark warmth and storytelling, offering a chance to think differently about how art communicates and connects.
October
A Picture in 1000 Words Tuesday, October 20
Join Te Papa audio describer Judith Jones and art curators to learn about the craft of audio description. Using words to bring an artwork to life, audio description supports meaningful experiences for blind and low‑vision visitors and helps all of us look more closely. After an introduction to the process, visitors will head to Toi Art to experience newly written descriptions of artworks on display.
Touring with the Friends of Te Papa
Our upcoming History and Heritage Tour of Coromandel (8–14 September) promises a week of stories and spectacular scenery. Over seven immersive days, you’ll explore Thames’ historic treasures, wander through Coromandel town’s creative heart, and enjoy Whitianga’s famous glass‑bottom boat cruise to Cathedral Cove. Relax at the Lost Spring Spa, savour a wine‑tasting lunch at Mercury Bay Estate, and discover Waihi’s gold‑mining past before journeying through the dramatic Karangahake Gorge. With knowledgeable guides and visits to places rich in Māori history and early settler heritage, this tour blends culture, nature, and discovery in the most delightful way. It’s a wonderful chance to travel in good company and shake off the winter chill together. More here
As we look ahead to the coming months, we’re reminded of what makes our Friends community so special, your curiosity, your generosity, and the joy you bring to every event, tour, and gathering. From inspiring talks and behind‑the‑scenes experiences to journeys across Aotearoa, our programme is thriving because of you. Thank you for walking alongside us as we build our new website and continue to grow the Friends whānau. We can’t wait to share more moments of learning, connection, and delight with you in the seasons ahead.
If anything catches your eye in our programme, bookings can be made by calling the office on 021 488 787 or emailing friends@tepapa.govt.nz, with payment by bank transfer. Thank you for your patience and good humour as we complete this last stretch, your support means a great deal.
Aro’a nui
Rachael Brenton-Rule - Coordinator
friends@tepapa.govt.nz
021 488 787
Celebrating 2026 Pacific Language Weeks with salutations from Te reo Māori Kūki ‘Airani.
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Image Credit: Watercolour illustration of the Lessonia algae, Plate 31 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand', c. 1990, Wellington, by Nancy Adams CBE. Purchased 2007. © Te Papa. CC BY 4.0. Te Papa (CA000892/002/0003)