Ground Floor

  

Pacific People

The Ground Level tells the story of Pacific People; Maori, Pakeha, the peoples of Oceania and other newcomers.

These spaces examine the diversity of Pacific Island communities and the astonishing beauty of the objects they produced.  The Maori Court houses some of the most significant Maori taonga (treasures) in the world while the other galleries tell the story of Pakeha childhood.  Also on this floor are Encounter and Landmarks:  two galleries devoted to New Zealand and International design and decorative arts and the special exhibitions hall in the Atrium.

Click below to learn about our other two floors:

First Floor - Natural History Land Stories - Here you will discover what's uniquely ancient about our oceans, forests, volcanoes and animals. From our geological origins to the weird and wonderful flightless creatures for which New Zealand is known - the giant weta, the moa, the kiwi.

Top Floor - New Zealand War Stories New Zealand's War Stories - the galleries here tell the story of New Zealand's involvement in all the major conflicts of the 20th century, principally World Wars I and II. Our own civil wars, the New Zealand wars of the 19th century, are also explored, as well as our emergence as a nation through the loss and suffering of war.