1998 Te Papa museum opens

The official opening ceremony on14 February 1998 began with the arrival of waka (canoes) at dawn, and culminated with the formal declaration of opening by two children, Tama Whiting and Grace Sweeney, accompanied by famous yachtsman Peter Blake.

Te Papa’s new approaches and interactive techniques, which were audience- rather than object-focused, proved very successful with a wide cross section of New Zealanders, including many Māori visitors. It also introduced innovative bicultural practices, including its own functioning marae, a Māori director, or kaihautū, and the integration of Māori perspectives on collecting and display of taonga (treasures).

Despite its popular success, the museum was not without its critics. Though it was described by traditionalists as the ‘MTV of museums’, art lovers had misgivings about the integration of the former National Art Gallery collections into the new museum.