condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Blog

discuss document export feedback print share

Blog

View by topic:
Collections
View by date:
2022

    Worth their weight in gold

    There's a new, and very old addition to the Ancient Worlds Gallery. A selection of coins from antiquity are now on display. Discover their stories in this blog by Deirdre Harrison Collection Manager Archaeology, and what they can tell us about about the societies that used them.

    The textiles cases: a redress

    In August, Dr Kahutoi Te Kanawa, weaver and Pou Ārahi Curator Māori at Auckland Museum led a changeout of the textiles cases in Te Marae Ātea Māori Court. In this blog, discover the kaupapa behind the change and what this exciting renewal means for the gallery.

    Occupying Force:
    New Zealand’s Invasion of Samoa August 29, 1914

    The display representing New Zealand’s occupation of Samoa, this country’s opening action in the First World War, may be small but the objects in the case are anything but mute. They embody the voices of the participants whose collision in that wartime action significantly changed the trajectories of three nations: Samoa, New Zealand and Germany.

    Remembering the Queen

    Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving British monarch in history, and ruled over a period of history that saw Aotearoa New Zealand establish its distinct identity. Here, we reflect on the Queen's time as head of state, sharing some interesting items from our collection.

    The Mystery of Auckland Museum's Rooftop Residents

    When you think of a Tuatara's natural habitat, a war memorial museum is probably the last place that comes to mind. In this blog, Grace Yee, Collection Technician for the IDEA project shares with us the peculiar story of Auckland Museum's rooftop tuatara, who lived on top of the Museum until the mid 1940s.

    Children's collections

    Childhood collections are nothing to be toyed with. A hobby collection can be serious business, helping future generations get a glimpse into by-gone days and sometimes from the unintended unique perspective of a child. Having recently processed a collection of 182 pencils gathered up by a young lad during the late 1960s-early 1970s, Sarndra Lees - Collection Manager, History, examines what this little treasure trove can teach us today.

    Digitisation and Beyond

    Without proper record keeping, the stories behind our taonga would be at risk of being forgotten. Digitising collection records is not only a way of preserving the identities of collection items, but also a way to improve access for people across the world to engage with their taonga and maintain those connections. In this article, Lauren Boesley, team member of the IDEA (Improved Documentation Enhanced Access) project shares her work digitising the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander collection, and the complexities of that mahi.

    Unique to your Museum

    There are over 4 million items in our collection, but every item has an individual story and particular significance. In this blog we're shining a spotlight on some our more unique items, presented by those who know the collections best.

    O le Sulu Samoa
    A legacy of light in the archives

    For Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa - Samoan Language Week we take a closer look at O le Sulu Samoa, one of the oldest and longest-running news periodicals in the Pacific. ʻSulu’ means ʻtorch’ or ‘light’ in Samoan. Published primarily in the Samoan language by the London Missionary Society from 1839, early issues of the Sulu are rare and difficult to access today with holdings largely held in archives outside Samoa. In this blog, our guest contributors Litara Ieremia-Allan, Wanda Ieremia-Allan and Rev Dr Featunaʻi Liuaʻana reveal myriad ways the Sulu continues to shine its light, and the intellectual inheritance this measina (treasure) continues to bestow upon present and future generations.

    The Crowning Glory of Samoa

    For many Samoan families the Tuiga (ceremonial headdress) is an icon of tradition and a priceless family heirloom. In this blog Collection Manager Pacific Talei Tu'inukuafe examines the building blocks of Tuiga, and how they come together to form a distinct symbol of cultural and national identity.

    Improving our galleries:
    new WWI stories

    'Doing our Part' is a collection of cases in our WWI galleries that have just undergone improvement. In this blog, some of the team behind the project talk about their process.