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Gilbert Archey,
Monuments Man

Art and cultural heritage are often among the early casualties of war, suffering destruction and theft amidst the chaos of conflict. To combat this, in WWII the Allied forces mobilised the Monuments Men and Women to protect the art and cultural monuments of war-struck nations. Read on to learn the fascinating story of our very own Monuments Man, and former Auckland Museum director Sir Gilbert Archey.

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.

Standing Corrected:
Additions and Corrections to the Museum’s Memorial Halls

In this blog, we look at the Museum’s spaces of remembrance and speak to Collection Manager (Online Cenotaph) Victoria Passau about our ongoing dedication to commemoration.

Manava Toa: the Cook Islands in WWI

Tuesday, 23 April 2019

More than 500 Cook Islanders fought for New Zealand in the WWI. They served with distinction but suffered great loss. Find out more about these courageous servicemen.

Far away but not forgotten

Tuesday, 24 April 2018

Malta received thousands of sick and wounded New Zealanders in the First World War and many didn't make it off the island. Find out more about this tragic history.

Help us identify service personnel

Monday, 16 April 2018

Combining a keen eye and solid research skills we sometimes find success, but more often than not we can't definitively name all of those pictured. This is where the public can help us

Pip, Squeak and Wilfred: The trio that still raises a grin

Monday, 9 April 2018

Longtime volunteer, Janet Anderson, often assists our visitors to explore the medal collection in our Memorial Discovery Centre. Her favourite story is about Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, the three service medals given to WWI soldiers. In this blog, she explains the origin of these nicknames and the significance of each medal.

A Close Shave

Friday, 6 April 2018

Ernest William Welch's shaving kit proved to be a life-saver when he stationed as a solider on the Somme in World War One.

Why I do it: Janet Anderson

Thursday, 29 March 2018

Long-time volunteer, Janet Anderson, has worked at our Memorial Discovery Centre for over five years. In this blog, we asked her why she does it?

Flags in the Hall of Memories

Thursday, 1 March 2018

Museum staff regularly receive questions about the flags on display around the World War One Sanctuary. It is generally stated that the flags represent those who signed the Treaty of Versailles on the 28th of June 1919. But this is not correct. Given these curious decisions and some notable omissions, we needed to do more digging to solve the mystery of the flags.

Nation changers

Friday, 27 October 2017

Several years ago, students from a local school gathered on the side of a small country road and watched as kuia and kaumatua wept as they remembered their whanau who had lost their lives during the New Zealand wars 150 years earlier. So they created a student-led petition that they took to Parliament in order for these battles to be remembered.

New Pou Kanohi gallery helping people connect with First World War stories

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

A century on, the events of the First World War can feel abstract and unconnected to our lives today, but Auckland Museum’s new gallery Pou Kanohi New Zealand at War is making the events of the war feel both relevant and relatable.

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