Collections Unseen

I Huna Ai i te Tangata Collections Unseen invites you to explore rarely viewed taonga and objects from our collection, as selected by our Collections and Curatorial team. Our Collections and Curatorial team have selected six themes to reflect the diversity of what has been collected over many decades. Their selections reveal surprising, obscure, and celebrated items from our collection. Anita Robertson, Collections and Curatorial Manager Food and cooking connect us. These collection objects spark memory of the past and togetherness linking people through shared moments in the kitchen and preparing kai. Pauline Farquhar, Collection Manager Our collection shows how people communicate has changed in technological development over historic times and continues to change today globally in the digital age (information age). Haylee Alderson, Collection Manager We take a lot for granted in life, often forgetting about the basics. These objects look at our basic needs as well as the developments we have made over the years to flourish as Humans. Gina Matchitt, Curator Pounamu from our collection highlights the cultural significance of greenstone in Aotearoa. Explored through Maaori traditions of adornment, tools, trade and symbols of mana, these pieces connect to the Waikato region through meaningful gifts and long-term loans. Maree Mills, Curator Maree introduces her fascination with birds – from the iconic Kiwi and treasured manu of te Ao Māori to Donald Duck. This selection celebrates their cultural significance and global influence while revealing the urgent need to protect our unique species for future generations. Jon Plimmer, Curator Our collection of clocks are a great window into past collecting practices, and poses fascinating questions for us in the present and future collecting.