Research Projects

Since 1852 Auckland Museum’s curatorial staff have been involved in a wide array of significant scientific and academic research projects. This research aims to investigate and illuminate the world in which we live.

In this section read about the scientific and academic research projects currently underway at Auckland Museum.

FOLLOW THE THREE KINGS ISLANDS EXPEDITION

Follow a team of scientists from five organisations taking part in the Three Kings Islands Marine Expedition to collect and record the diversity of the rich marine life in the waters around these remote islands of New Zealand.

READ ABOUT THE KERMADEC EXPEDITION

Read about our Biodiscovery Expedition to the Kermadec Islands, that departed on the RV Braveheart in May 2011 and returning 21 days later.

BAILEY LOVETT: FUTURE SCIENTIST

A four-week summer placement at Auckland Museum has helped shape Future Scientist of the Year Bailey Lovett's study ambitions and set her on a path to a career in marine biology.

BOTANICAL SURVEY OF THE HAURAKI GULF ISLANDS

Ewen Cameron, Auckland Museum’s Curator of Botany, recently led a botanical survey of wild (native and naturalised) plants of the Hauraki Gulf Islands. Many unusual or interesting vascular plant records (natives and weeds) were collected, pressed and added to the Museum’s herbarium as a permanent record.

NEW LIST OF NEW ZEALAND BIRDS

The Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand, a new scholarly listing of New Zealand birds has just been produced by the Checklist Committee of the Ornithological Society. The checklist committee was chaired by Brian Gill, Auckland Museum’s curator of birds, and has spent nine years on the project.

BIOBLITZ: FINDING NATURE IN THE CITY

BioBlitz 2010 was organised principally by Landcare Research and the Auckland Museum. Auckland Regional Council, DOC, other CRIs, University of Auckland and others supported and participated in the event. The BioBlitz event is a unique opportunity for scientists, students and the public to experience the vast array of species (biodiversity) living in an urban reserve.

MIGRATION OF THE LONG-TAILED CUCKOO

Brian Gill, Auckland Museum’s Curator of Land Vertebrates, is reassembling data on the long-tailed cuckoo’s migration, using data from specimens from museums throughout the world and literature records.

EXCHANGES WITH FLORENCE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

The Auckland Museum Library holds both the in-coming Giglioli letters and contemporary copies of the out-going Cheeseman letters. From these documents, and from birds in the collections of both museums, Brian Gill, Auckland Museum’s Curator of Land Vertebrates, has written an account of the transactions as a detailed case-study of a 19th century museum exchange between institutions half a world apart.