Kia ora Tatou,
Every year, the Friends of Te Papa partner with the Arts Society of Wellington to present a series of fascinating lectures featuring distinguished speakers from around the world. These events combine expert knowledge with engaging storytelling, offering audiences fresh perspectives on art, history, culture, and design.
This year we have enjoyed Those Mitford Sisters in March, Caravaggio in May, and Peggy Guggenheim in August. Still to come this weekend is The Japanese Garden in the West: 100 Years of Eastern Influence, and tickets are still available for this wonderful event. Historian and garden specialist Amanda Herries explores the enduring influence of Japanese garden design on Western landscapes over the past century. Drawing on her extensive experience living, lecturing and curating exhibitions in Japan and the UK, she traces the journey of Japanese plants, aesthetics and philosophy from East to West. This fascinating lecture asks whether a truly authentic Japanese garden can exist outside Japan, or whether Western interpretations simply give these landscapes a distinctly Japanese voice. Book now to avoid missing out!
We have Star Boxes for the Wellington City Mission Christmas Collection at the Japanese Gardens lecture, please bring along your donations to this worthy cause.
As another successful year of lectures draws to a close, we are delighted to unveil our 2027 Arts Society Lecture Programme. We look forward to bringing you another inspiring series of speakers and subjects and hope you'll join us for what promises to be an exceptional year ahead.
THE ELGAN MARBLES: A HISTORY OF MEANING
Alan Read – Sunday 7 March, Rangimarie Room
This lecture traces the history of the Elgin Marbles, from their creation in ancient Athens to their place at the centre of a modern international debate. Discover how their meaning has changed over time and explore the arguments for and against their return to Greece.
CÉZANNE AND VAN GOGH: DEATH AS A CAREER MOVE
Julia Musgrave – Sunday 18 July, Soundings Theatre
Two of the world’s most celebrated artists, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne, achieved fame only after their deaths. Discover how visionary dealers, critics, and changing tastes transformed their once-overlooked work into some of the most admired and influential art of the twentieth century.
SUNSHINE AND SENSUALITY: RENOIR’S LUNCHEON OF THE BOATING PARTY
Sylvia Sagonia – Sunday 3 October, Soundings Theatre
Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party is one of the most beloved images of nineteenth-century France, capturing the warmth, vitality, and optimism of a summer afternoon by the Seine. This lecture looks beyond the painting’s carefree surface to explore the social tensions, personal tragedies, and historical upheavals that Renoir subtly concealed behind this iconic masterpiece.
THE LIVES AND ART OF JMW TURNER AND JOHN CONSTABLE
Cindy Polemis – Sunday 7 November, Soundings Theatre
Discover the fascinating rivalry between J.M.W. Turner and John Constable, two artists whose very different backgrounds and artistic styles helped redefine British landscape painting. This lecture explores their contrasting lives, fierce competition, and enduring influence on the development of art in Britain.
We are very excited to be bringing you this series of Art History lectures and look forward to welcoming you and your friends at these events.
Playable exhibition coming to Te Papa.
Some exhibitions are about looking. This one is about playing.
Opening at Te Papa this summer, Game Worlds: Whakaaturanga Pureiapo | Playable Exhibition brings together over 30 of the world's most influential videogames from the 1970s to today. Curated and developed by ACMI, this major, playable exhibition invites you to step into extraordinary virtual worlds and discover how videogames are made and how they’ve shaped the way we play and connect.
Friends of Te Papa members can enjoy two special benefits with this exhibition. Members receive a concession entry rate of just $25, allowing you to visit at a time that suits you. To book, visit tepapa.nz/GameWorlds
Save the date: In addition, Friends are invited to an exclusive event on Thursday 11 February. Te Papa curator Dr Sean Mallon will present a special 30-minute introduction at 9.30am, offering insights into the development and organisation of the exhibition and a Q&A so you can pick his brain for details. Following the talk, Friends will have member-only access to view the Game Worlds exhibition from 10.00am to 11.00am, with the option to stay and explore for as long as they wish afterwards. Full details will be available on our website soon, and bookings will open shortly.
Game Worlds: Whakaaturanga Pureiapo | Playable Exhibition is at Te Papa from 12 December 2026 – 26 April 2027.
Our latest Director's Talk shines a spotlight on Austen Found, the improvised Jane Austen musical that first charmed audiences at the New Zealand Improv Festival in 2008 and has since become a beloved theatrical phenomenon. Join acclaimed performers and directors Penny Ashton and Lori Dungey as they uncover the story behind the show's enduring success, sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes and insights into the unique art of creating Austen-inspired theatre without a script. For a complete evening, head to Circa after the talk to attend the show and enjoy a complimentary drink (bookings for the show to be made separately on the Circa website). Filled with wit, improvisation and Regency-inspired humour, this promises to be a lively and entertaining conversation. Read more here
Join Friends of Te Papa for a five-day guided excursion in April 2027 to Kaikōura led by Hamish Campbell, exploring the region's remarkable geology, cultural heritage, history, and the lasting impacts of the 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake. Travelling by ferry, train, coach and shuttle, participants will enjoy visits to significant sites including Takahanga Marae, Fyffe House, the Kaikōura Museum, coastal landmarks, and, weather permitting, a whale-watching experience. With four nights' accommodation in Kaikōura, daily field trips, scenic walks, and opportunities for shared dining and discussion, this promises to be an intellectually stimulating and enjoyable journey in excellent company. Read more here
We have an exciting Te Papa Press book giveaway coming up next month. Titles include Tatau: Samoan Tattoo by Mark Adams, Sean Mallon, Peter Brunt and Nicholas Thomas, Treasures for the Rising Generation: The Dominion Museum Ethnological Expeditions 1919 – 1923 and The Treaty of Waitangi by Claudia Orange. Any member who has attended an event with us this year is in the draw. We will contact the winner by E-Mail or phone and arrange to drop off the books to you in early December.
There is much to enjoy in the months ahead. We have more announcements in the coming weeks for events in the 2027 programme. As 2026 turns towards summer, we hope you’ll find plenty of opportunities to connect and be inspired through the Friends.
Rachael Brenton-Rule - Coordinator
(04) 381 7051/ 021 488 787
Remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to get regular updates from the Friends and the museum.