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A lasting impression

After a large storm hit the Auckland region, Matthew Brown and Ava Peters made an unexpected discovery. The couple came across a large piece of sandstone that had slipped down from the cliff above, displaying the footprints of a large bird. Only one bird in Aotearoa could have left footprints quite that large, the moa.

Vibe Check: Monitoring Vibrations

How do you protect the collections from something you can't see? Vibrations are actually one of the most dangerous hazards to taonga, but they're often imperceptible to the naked eye. Read on to learn about Summer Student Luke Bishop's creation that will help protect our collections from this invisible threat.

A day in the life

What's it like to go on a scientific expedition in the middle of the ocean? Find out as Associate Curator Dr Marina Klemm takes us on Te Mana o Rangitāhua where whale-spotting, water-sampling and much more is part of the daily routine.

Introducing the dermestid beetles!

One of the Museum’s hardest working teams, does some pretty grimy work. They’re also our tiniest workers by a long way. Introducing, the dermestid beetles. Their role is to prepare skeleton specimens for our Natural Sciences Department.

Netball's Unsung Heroes:
Dame Steel

If you have ever watched televised coverage of the Southern Steel playing an ANZ Championship match, or the former Southern Sting netball team in action, it’s highly probable you have seen their biggest fan on your TV screen. Yes, we are talking about the Dame Steel herself: Bev Harvey!

The Insect Biodiversity
of Solomon Islands

In this blog for Solomon Aelan Pijin Langguis Wik (Solomon Islands Pidjin Language Week), we delve into a collection of Solomon Islands insects and learn how specimens can teach us about biodiversity and sustainability.

Toe be or not toe be?

What can bird toe pads and their genetic footprint reveal about the Pacific parrots of the past? Blog by Patricia Pillay, Auckland Museum Institute Scholar 2024.

Equipped for the Eclipse: Through Henry Winkelmann's Lens

In 1907, Henry Winkelmann joined an expedition to capture an image of a solar eclipse. The result was a remarkable feat that not only framed an elusive cosmic phenomenon, but also a playful glimpse at life behind-the-lens when photography was still a relatively rare and formal occasion.

Sharing Biodiversity Records in Fiji

In this blog, Kelly Brown, the Curator of Marine Collection at the University of the South Pacific, talks about our collaborative work and the importance of record sharing through data aggregators such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

He aha tēnei? What is this?

Museum labels have the tricky job of condensing a big story into a just a few words. In this blog for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, discover the complexities of the world of label writing and how we make our bilingual texts.

Hand-Me-Downs

The Heather Halcrow Nicholson Knitting Collection is a knitwear enthusiast’s dream wardrobe and an extensive toolkit for the most advanced crafter. In the museum context, however, it is the memory of a time in Aotearoa New Zealand’s social history when life looked very different for most women.

Attitudes to Olympics -
then and now

The celebration of the ancient Olympics spanned a millennium whereas the modern Games have lasted (merely) 130 years. Though different in many ways, both Games have garnered special mystique for those participating, or even just attending. In this article, Deirdre Harrison, Collection Manager Archaeology investigates how much - or how little - the Games have changed.

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