Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Whakarongo ki ngā kōrero whakaawe mō ngā momo taketake ake nō Aotearoa i tētahi pō kotahi anake ka tukuna ngā kōrero a ngā kairauhī o te hītori ao tūroa, te toi, me te mātauranga Māori. Hei wāhanga nō Breathe | Mauri Ora: He Ara Mariko ki Te Taiao, nā Marshmallow Laser Feast ēnei kōrero.
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Discover inspiring stories of Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique native species with an evening of one-off spotlight talks from natural history, art, and mātauranga Māori curators. These talks are part of the programme of events for Breathe | Mauri Ora: An Immersive Journey into Nature by Marshmallow Laser Feast.
Wed 11 Mar 2026, 6.30pm to 8pm
Bush City, Level 1 outside, and Te Taiao | Nature, Level 2
Free event, but bookings are required
Curators will take small groups through Bush City and Te Taiao | Nature to hear about the awe-inspiring and interconnected lives of the plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates we live alongside.
Each evening, a different group of curators from Te Papa’s natural history, art, and mātauranga Māori teams provide an interdisciplinary perspective on hidden stories of nature in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will share research and knowledge using rarely seen collections items from back-of-house stores and taonga on display in the exhibitions.
Leon Perrie, Curator Botany, Natural History team: The hidden world of plant sex
Andrew Stewart, Curator Vertebrates, Natural History team: Bioluminescence – the most common form of communication
Phil Sirvid, Curator Invertebrates, Natural History team: Deception and camouflage in insects
Isaac Te Awa, Curator Mātauranga Māori, Mātauranga Māori team: Hīnaki
Justine Olsen, Curator Decorative Arts & Design, Art team: Shining a light on ‘Kina’ by Raewyn Atkinson
Tickets come with a complimentary non-alcoholic drink available at the end of the event.
Spaces are limited – book your ticket today. We will run a waitlist for the event.
This free event is inspired by Breathe | Mauri Ora. It takes place outside of the exhibition. Breathe | Mauri Ora is open 10am–6pm daily. Tickets for the exhibition can be purchased separately.
A second event led by an alternative group of curators sharing different stories and collections items will take place on Wednesday 25 February.
Kōanga After Dark 2024, Photo by Jo Moore. Te Papa (249734)
Breathe | Mauri Ora exhibition features major digital artworks on an awe-inspiring scale from London-based collective Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF). Get your tickets online now.
On now
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
How do poets, musicians, and dancers respond to the immersive worlds of Breathe | Mauri Ora: An Immersive Journey into Nature by Marshmallow Laser Feast?
Sat 7 Mar 2026, 7pm to 10pm
Event Ngā kaupapa motuhake
