Archives
The fascinating collections of records in Te Papa’s Archives are open to researchers.
Our archive collections fall into two categories: Museum Archives and Collected Archives.
The Museum Archives are the papers that have been, and continue to be, generated by the Museum since its establishment in 1865.
Some highlights include records of the Colonial Museum’s first director, Sir James Hector, dating from 1857 to 1903; research material gathered by Museum staff since 1865; and archives of the National Art Gallery from when it opened in 1936.
The Collected Archives fall into two groups. The first is art-related records and other archival papers collected in specialist areas. Featured in this collection are archives of New Zealand artists such as Sir Tosswill Woollaston, Lois White, Leonard Mitchell, and many others.
The second group embraces a wide variety of other collected archival material. This includes World War I ephemera as well as documents left by important historical figures.
Everyone can access Te Papa's archives by taking an appointment with the archivist. You need to contact us to take an appointment.
Please make sure you get an appointment before travelling to Te Papa. You will find more information in our page about the Access to Te Papa's collections and archives.
The Museum Archives are the papers that have been generated by the Museum since its establishment in 1865 and includes the archives of the National Art Gallery.
These fall into two groups. The first is art-related records and papers collected in specialist areas. The second embraces a wide variety of material, including World War I ephemera and documents left by important historical figures.