The mystery of Manawatāwhi mollymawks: a history and field report

Albatrosses breed on remote oceanic islands, as far from humans as possible. Despite this isolation, most breeding sites are known, and many are monitored to track the birds’ numbers, making it unusual that a new albatross population should be discovered and remain unstudied...

Creativity in Momentous Times

Whether a professional artist or crafty amateur, times of uncertainty and change can encourage us to get creative. Here are some objects in our collection that have been created during moments of significance, big andor small, and their stories.

Excavating Otata Island: A Midden Revealed

In March 2020, Auckland Museum archaeologists carried out a small excavation in a large coastal midden on Otata Island in the Hauraki Gulf, Tikapa Moana.

Tools of Tātau and the Marks of a Leader

A closer look at Taonga and specimens from across the Auckland Museum collection that feature in the Voyage to Aotearoa: Tupaia and the Endeavour exhibition - specifically Tahitian tātau (tattoo) tools - the uhi (chisel) and tā (beater).

Identifying Belwood: Searching for Sitters

Did you ever wonder what might have happened to the family photos you were made to pose for when you were a child? Did you ever suspect they could wind up in a museum?

Trade Beads and Nails

An examination of the surprising and illuminating tools of trade and exchange highlighted in the Voyage to Aotearoa: Tupaia and the Endeavour exhibition.

From Obscurity to the Spotlight