Our collections policy
Learn why and how Te Papa acquires new objects.
Acquisition processTe tukanga whai taonga
Primarily, Te Papa collects items that have (or might grow to have) iconic value for New Zealand. We receive funding from the government for collections development, enabling us to acquire major items of national significance.
Te Papa collects significant cultural property and information related to Te Papa’s vision in order to document, illustrate, and explore the natural and cultural heritage of New Zealand and those parts of the world that have contributed to our country’s identity.
We do this to:
capture the imagination of New Zealanders
anchor concepts, values, and ideas to tangible objects
add to the record of scholarship, including mātauranga Māori
provide a resource for research.
Strategic approach
Development of the collections is informed and guided by collection development strategies. These strategies are reviewed periodically.
Items enter the collection in various ways, including through:
purchase
collection in the field
commission by Te Papa
exchanges with other institutions
donation or bequest.
Recent acquisitions
See our Annual Reports for a list of acquisitions in each year
Gift an object to Te Papa
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Annual Reports and key documents
Read and download Te Papa’s Annual Reports and other key documents.