Coming up at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum: We have a range of activities, exhibitions and events for the whole whānau to get involved in.
We are excited to announce Peter the T. rex has extended his stay at Auckland Museum till late 2023!
Join us for the return of Night at Auckland Museum this school holidays as you discover the ancient Greek world via torch light. That’s not the only thing returning to your Museum this October, the internationally acclaimed Māori Cultural Performance’s are back from October 1.
You can also take part in AR Dinosaur Hunt, Twilight Tuesdays and see if Peter comes to life when the sun goes down. Our tours are in full swing: including the Member’s Haere Mai Tour and the Gallery Highlights Tour.
Night at Auckland Museum
MON 3, WED 5, THU 6, MON 10, WED 12 & FRI 14 OCT, 6PM – 8.30PM
GENERAL ADMISSION $35, MEMBERS $31.50
Bring your torch and join us on a journey of discovery through the ancient Greek world. Wander the darkened galleries and come face to face with a multitude of (mostly) wise characters with stories to tell and lessons to share, taste the ‘delights’ of ancient Greek food, have a go at their arts, their fashion, and experience their fantastical stories brought to life!
Māori Cultural Performance
SAT 1 OCT – MON 31 OCT, TWO PERFORMANCES DAILY
HALF PRICE FOR AUCKLANDERS THROUGH OCTOBER
Experience a vibrant glimpse of Māori culture in an engaging performance which takes you on a journey through the story of Aotearoa New Zealand and Tāmaki Makaurau.
AR Dinosaur Hunt
ON NOW
FREE WITH MUSEUM ENTRY
Meet AR Dinos at the Museum! You’ll find them wandering in Weird & Wonderful, stalking Te Ao Mārama South Atrium and lurking in the Imaginarium – augmented reality dinosaurs are everywhere at Auckland Museum! Scan the codes with your phone to see six prehistoric giants come to life right before your eyes, then have your photo taken with them.
Twilight Tuesdays
EVERY TUESDAY UNTIL 8:30PM
Take in the relaxed atmosphere as the whole Museum is open for you to wander, every Tuesday evening. Explore the galleries and new Te Ao Mārama South Atrium. Enjoy dinner or drinks at Tuitui Bistro & Café and browse our new Hokohoko Museum Store. Afterwards, why not make a night of it and stay to watch the sun set over the Domain? The secure undercover carpark will be open. Enter the carpark after 5pm and you can park for a flat fee of $10 for the evening. The Museum will also be hosting Twilight Tuesday Music on 28 June with L’Accademia Music School’s young starts of the future.
Movie Screening: Mariupol. Unlost Hope.
TUE 11 OCT, 6PM
FREE, LIMITED CAPACITY – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED
Come along for a free screening of documentary film Mariupol. Unlost Hope. Featuring first-hand accounts, this documentary tells the story of a crime through the eyes of victims who managed to survive the first month of the invasion of Mariupol. Nadiya’s chronicles of the blockade in social media became an opportunity to see and feel close up what thousands of people saw and felt. This is the story of a city where everything but hope has been destroyed.
CONTENT WARNING – Viewer discretion is advised. This film shows images of war, death and people in distress. Recommended for a mature audience.
MEMBERS EVENTS:
Members Talk: Discover Nature Boy
TUE 4 OCT, 6PM
AUDITORIUM, LEVEL 2
Join Ron Brownson, Senior Curator New Zealand Art, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, and Shaun Higgins, Auckland Museum’s Curator Pictorial as they’ll discuss the life and work of Olaf Petersen and the role of photography in New Zealand. The curatorial talks are followed by a round table discussion moderated by Catherine Hammond, Hocken Librarian, University of Otago Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo.
Tracing Classicism through the Walls of Auckland Museum
TUE 18 OCT, 6PM
MEET AT THE TOUR BANNER, GRAND FOYER
PAY WHAT YOU CAN, BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL
Built to commemorate the heroic valor of New Zealand soldiers, architects Grierson, Aimer and Draffin chose a neo-classical design to emulate power, status and pride associated with the Ancient Greeks. Take a walk back in time with Applied Arts and Design Curator, Grace Lai, for an evening tour as she traces elements of classical Greek architecture evident in the walls of the Museum.
EXHIBITIONS:
Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes
OPEN NOW UNTIL 6 NOVEMBER
The Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes exhibition from the British Museum’s world-renowned collection from the Ancient Greek world, is the largest selection of ancient artefacts ever loaned by the British Museum to New Zealand. It will showcase a wide range of treasures and stories, including the masterpiece of the exhibition, a two metre long fragment of marble frieze from one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Ancient Greek civilisation has had a profound influence on the development of language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science, and the arts around the world. Artistic, physical and intellectual competition pervaded all of society and this exhibition, highlights that competition can unify, resulting in achievement and innovation. This impressive and impactful exhibition is an introduction to an ancient culture that has never before been showcased in Auckland in this way or to this scale. Don’t miss this major international exhibition coming exclusively to Auckland from Friday 10 June – Sunday 6 November.
T. Rex is King – T. REXTENDED
TE AO MĀRAMA, SOUTH ATRIUM
We are excited to announce Peter the T. rex has decided to stay with us until late 2023! Measuring 12m in length and nearly 4m high, the skeleton, named ‘Peter’, is an awesome sight, posed in what would have been the T. rex’s hunting position. Only four obsidian black T. rex have ever been found so this free, world premiere is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed. One of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found, damage to Peter’s bones reveals the fate of one of nature’s most impressive predators.
Nature Boy: The Photography of Olaf Peterson
FREE WITH MUSEUM ENTRY
Born in Swanson to a Swedish mother and a Danish father, award-winning photographer Olaf Petersen (1915-1994) was one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s finest nature photographers, yet few are familiar with his captivating work. Olaf’s minimal photographs draw you into an unchaotic natural world, revealing a profound and comforting beauty. They invite you to embrace the simplicity of this beauty, but in doing so pose questions about its fragility. Nature Boy features his very best competition prints, with 60 extraordinary images Olaf captured between the 1930s and 1980s. These images show his love and regard for nature – from the birds, sea, trees and wind-rippled sand of Auckland’s west coast beaches, to the flora, fauna and landscapes of the Hauraki Gulf and beyond. You’ll see Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa New Zealand as Olaf saw it and get a glimpse of his fascinating life, his ‘mid-century modern’ photographic practice, and the natural world he documented.
TOURS:
Gallery Highlights Tour
DAILY AT 11AM
Get ready for one of the most interesting hours you’ll ever spend as our guide shows you around Auckland Museum. Explore our Museum’s most famous galleries and learn about Māori culture, achievements of Polynesian navigators and the unique nature of New Zealand.
Hidden Heritage Tour
DAILY AT 1PM
Have you ever wondered what the Museum looked like 90 years ago? Join us for a fascinating guided tour, spanning almost 100 years, from the early designs to the building you see today.
Tamaki Herenga Waka Members’ Tour
MONTHLY
Who are we, as Aucklander? The Stories that begin to answer that question are told in many languages, over many generations, and through many objects.
Member’s Haere Mai Tour
MONTHLY, BOOK HERE https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/visit/whats-on/tours/members-haere-mai-tour
During this 45-minute free orientation tour, you will journey from the majestic Grand Foyer to the newly renovated South Atrium space. Your friendly guide will be pointing out areas of interest to you along the way, including the Members’ only ticket desks, event spaces, lockers, brand-new Museum Store, and more.
