Ours: Treasures from Te Papa

The first object comes from the moment of 'first contact'. Historian Dame Anne Salmond talks about the silver ferns collected by the Endeavour and how New Zealand was born in science.

These are the originals. The ferns that spawned a million flags, t-shirts, logos, earrings and rugby jerseys. The ferns that first connected Aotearoa with the wider world. In this case that 'wider world' was the crew of Captain Cook's sh...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has a favourite item at Te Papa and in episode two, we discover that while it speaks to her of endurance, it's probably not what you might expected.

Not many politicians would choose as a hero a man as famous for finding trouble as he was for getting out of it. Yet when Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gets up close and personal with one of the hand-made sleds from Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1907 Antarc...

Jonah Lomu steamrolled Mike Catt and, as former TV host Julian Wilcox recalls, changed the game of rugby forever. But this treasure about much more than sport.

Rugby is a game of colonies, transported from the playing fields of England's private schools around the British Empire. But in 1995 there was a moment of brilliance that made rugby a world sport and changed the game forever; and it was sparked by a Tongan 20 year-old.

It...

Before humans, New Zealand was a land of birds. Our recent efforts to save them have sparked some heroic stories... but also some, er, quirky ones. Such as the kakapo ejaculation helmet.

It's the story of a bird alone. A good keen bird, you might say, just not keen enough on the right things.

Sirocco the kākāpō became a star in 2009 when he tried to mate with zoologist Mark Carwardine, who was filming a BBC documentary with Brit...

The '81 Springbok Tour woke and divided New Zealand, but this week's object and its champion are a surprising combination that shows just how far we've come.

New Zealand has a proud tradition of activism dating back to Hone Heke and Kate Sheppard. But few who have chosen protest as their turangawaewae can claim to have changed New Zealand.

John Minto is one who did just that, which is why his helmet is the focus of this episode. Now,...

In the 1970s New Zealand started to find its own voice through mass media, and that included imported children's television. Ready to knock? Turn the lock.

he names are instantly recognisable to a generation or more, because they were the toys that belonged to us all... Humpty, Jemima, Big Ted, Little Ted and of course New Zealand's own Manu.

Sometime it's not the significant or serious things that tell us most about oursel...

What has the biggest eyes in the world, blue blood and three hearts? Sam Cousins knows and it's a bit of natural science that connects us to the oceans surrounding us.

She came all the way from the Ross Sea, to lie in central Wellington. And she is a she. A female colossal squid that surprised the world.

When a 300kg specimen was found in 2003, speculation that some colossal squid could weigh as much as 500kg was met with some skepti...

I am scared is about feeling the fear and doing it anyway. It's a universal theme, but its depiction by this great New Zealand artist could only have been painted here.

He is New Zealand's great 'I am'. No, not God or Yahweh, but Colin McCahon, an artist with a fondness for the words 'I am' and grand religious themes. They feature in many of his works in many different ways, and he undoubtedly is one of New ...

It looks like a bit of wood, but it tells a much bigger story of immigration and inspiration. A story as big as a dinosaur.

This is where Jurassic Park began. It's when we actually stared walking with dinosaurs. In fact it's the moment humans first realised dinosaurs existed, and, like the rest of us, it immigrated to New Zealand and has found its home here.

Amongst the collections at Te Papa - and a dead-cert for our list ...

The story of a nation is more than great works of art, turbulent moments of history and dramatic discoveries. Sometimes you can see the truth of a country in a piece of fish with a scoop of chips.

A fish shop worker's uniform seems an unlikely item to include in a museum collection, but that's only if you take it on face value.

Lean in to take a closer look. There might just be the lingering smell of fish and chips caught i...

This nocturnal creature doesn't have the prettiest mugshot and can appear a little intimidating with its tusks, barbs, and armour.

It's the "ultimate monster" which has been on the scene even before the dinosaurs. Sir Richard Taylor was so enamoured by the critter that he named his company after it.

Meet one of New Zealand's most iconic insects - the wētā - just don't get too close - this little monster bites...

William Strutt's painted depiction of the New Zealand Wars may be almost 160 years old but, amid recent claims of racism and propaganda, it’s making headlines in 2018.

Some consider it a colonialist masterpiece, while others say it is simply colonialist propaganda.

The artist depicts a scene from a fraught time in this nation's history – the New Zealand Wars.

And just like any artwork or moment in history, the painting’s meaning ...

This little object is so small it could fit in your pocket, yet it's a powerful symbol of one woman's courage and activism in very difficult conditions.

Warning: The following includes graphic details of Frances Parker's treatment in prison

In the midst of the #MeToo and Time's Up movement, this object is perhaps more relevant than it has been for decades.

It takes us back to a time when women were seen as mad or hysterical ...

This patu parāoa (whalebone hand weapon) used during the New Zealand Wars offers a window or "little cobweb” into New Zealand’s past.

This patu parāoa (whalebone hand weapon) used during the New Zealand Wars offers a window or "little cobweb” into New Zealand’s past.

The patu parāoa, now safely stored at Te Papa, may look ornamental, but do not be deceived.

It has many stories to tell, including an unlikely connection with a Brit...

What happens when Greek mythology meets modern pop culture feminism, with a bit of Kiwi battler thrown in?

She's a character who hints at being from the Pantheon of ancient Greek mythology, but was in fact born entirely from modern imagination and brought to life not in the temples of the gods, but in west Auckland.

Xena, the 'warrior princess', continues to inspire a cult following of ‘Xenites’ to this very day. Every...

This spiky item helped a relatively unknown New Zealand athlete seize gold, and instant fame, at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

This shoe doesn't come with the bells and whistles of modern running shoes - there's no foam cushioning, titanium cooling spheres or fancy flex grooves.

But take a closer look and you'll notice the inspired and innovative touches that make this shoe so special.

It tells the story of one athlete's...

These knitted creations are a Topp tribute to the beloved alter-egos of New Zealand's most famous folk-singing/yodelling/comedy duo.

These miniature works of knitted art hail from Invercargill and might just be the ultimate Kiwiana tribute to two of New Zealand's most popular characters - Camp Mother and Camp Leader - the inspired creations of Lynda and Jools Topp; the Topp Twins.

The activist sisters (and their woollen doppelga...

This is one of the most well-loved songs of the Pacific and its beautiful, wistful quality still endures - 100 years on from its debut.

As she wanders through Te Papa, 16-year-old Ema Tavola hears the faint sounds of the Pacific hovering in the air.

The murmuring and chatter of other visitors in the museum quickly fades into the background and she walks over to the row of red buttons.

She picks one at random and soon a song of love an...

This is a story about one of the most magical victories in New Zealand's sporting history, and the inspiring legacy that it has left in its wake.

When Team New Zealand won the America's Cup on 13 May 1995, their 5-0 victory over the US caught the nation's attention in a way that competitive yachting had never quite done before.

It's a story that has all the necessary ingredients: a great sporting rivalry between nation...