Blog

View by topic:

View by date:

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.

Getting a better IDEA of our collection

A new three-year project aiming to digitise over 80,000 of the Museum's 4.5 million items is shedding new light on the country's largest collection of specimens, objects and archival documents. Project Coordinator Ian Proctor discusses the Improved Documentation Enhanced Access (IDEA) project.

Sharks: Reality bites

As summer arrives, the perceived threat of sharks is once again being brought into our collective consciousness. But are sharks really a threat to you, or do they just have a case of bad PR? Auckland Museum’s new shark-damaged surfboard tells a curious story of our misguided fears about the species and acts as a starting point for exploring opposing perspectives.

Three more reasons to visit Te Ao Mārama

Architecture admirers take note: There are now three more reasons to visit Auckland Museum's revitalised South Atrium entry precinct, with the space taking out three categories at the New Zealand Architecture Awards.

Why Auckland Museum acquired a bench from Karangahape Road

Behind the stories of the diverse and dynamic life of Karangahape Road, sits Auckland Museum’s newest acquisition: a bench. Curator, Applied Arts & Design Grace Lai explores how the stories of this bench encapsulates why public furniture is so important for supporting community spaces.

Haeata: a kōrero with artist Ngataiharuru Taepa

In this blog, we kōrero with Prof Ngataiharuru Taepa about growing up amongst artists, kōwhaiwhai as language, and having work on the walls of a space filled with the incredible work of ancestors.

Good on paper

In this blog, we speak to Paper Conservator Erin Walker about the ethics of conservation and how she ensured some of the letters in Love & Loss were ready for their time in the spotlight.

What we’re excited to see again

Who better to advise you on the best things to see at the Museum than the very people who put them on display? We asked our curators what Collections items they're most excited to see again when the Museum reopens to help you prepare the perfect must-see list.

1 2 3 4 5 ...