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The recent upheavals at Te Papa are symptomatic of funding and direction issues affecting museums
worldwide. For several years, collection growth coupled with diminishing resources have resulted in
institutions shedding specialist staff and revisiting collection strategies. We fear Aotearoa New Zealand is
losing international credibility with inadequately resourced and managed museums. We seek an urgent
review of national museum strategy and funding before it’s too late.
Although important, public displays constitute only a fraction of a museum’s mandate. Regrettably, the
critical archival and research functions of museums are poorly understood by many people, even some in
senior museum roles. Our museums are entrusted to preserve and present the essence and taonga of our
nation; its cultural, spiritual, geological and biological uniqueness and heritage. Just as a few books do not
make for a useful library, a museum does not house only a handful of the most precious artworks or
specimens for display. Instead, museums, especially our national museum, must strive to represent the full
extent of variation in our culture and natural history.
Recent independent reports found New Zealand museums to be, in general, understaffed, underfunded
and under-resourced1-3. Of particular concern, there has been a significant and ongoing decline in
taxonomic expertise (the science of describing biodiversity). New Zealand needs tenured taxonomists
working across the full spectrum of our biological heritage. On these very subjects, independent reports1-2
in 2015 and 2018 appear to have gone largely unnoticed or regrettably failed to effect change. Without
comprehensive collections and resident expertise, our museums cannot effectively contribute to
biosecurity and the conservation of our unique biodiversity. In the case of Te Papa, we contend that it is
not substantively researching and conserving the collection, nor providing expertise and support to other
institutions, anywhere near as well as it might, as a result of halving its natural history collections staff
since 2012. In the field of collections management, at least, it has increasingly failed to distinguish itself in
a manner worthy of the title of National Museum.
Some museums appear to be functioning well and are effectively managed. New Zealand’s hierarchical
museum structure comprises a single national museum, large regional museums and small district
museums. This system currently operates as a group of largely independent regional institutions, lacking
any coordinated vision. We argue that this model is not functioning adequately. Government intervention
is required. One potential alternative system is to have a single ‘National Collection’ spread across a range
of regional institutions, each with or without unique branding. Crown research institutes and universities
hold many nationally significant collections and these must also form part of the picture. This approach
would bring the country’s museum management into the 21st century, and strengthen the long-term safety
of the collection. A more collaborative and standardized museum structure would also allow expertise to
be disseminated across institutions and reduce material costs.
Despite housing collections of international significance, regional museums are largely funded (or under-
funded) through local government and commercial sponsors. In the interest of financial security, funding
for these institutions should also come, at least in part, from central government. Discrete and clear
funding pathways must be in place to ensure that arts, culture and natural history are suitably resourced, if
indeed all are to be in the care of a single institution. Museums should build on their established strengths;
we realise that no one institution can host experts in every discipline.
It would be prudent, for ease of access, to have a couple of large collections for each major taxonomic
group. In such a geologically dynamic country, nationally significant collections should be distributed across
the regions. However, this approach need not affect the breadth of what goes on public display. By
considering all taxpayer-owned collections as parts of a single whole, greater options for permanent and
special exhibitions may become a reality. New Zealand has impressive collections with special character
that reflect its unique and globally important natural and cultural history. We would like to see these
properly staffed and funded so they can be utilized in new and exciting ways to their maximum potential
by the scientific community.
1 Nelson W, Breitwieser I, Fordyce E, Bradford-Grieve J, Penman D, Roskruge N, Trnski T, Waugh S, Webb C
(2015) National taxonomic collections in New Zealand (https://royalsociety.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Report-
National-Taxonomic-Collections-in-New-Zealand-2015.pdf).
2 Australian Academy of Science and the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi (2018) Discovering
biodiversity: a decadal plan for biodiversity and systematics in Australia and New Zealand 2018-2027
(https://royalsociety.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Discovering-Biodiversity-decadal-plan.pdf).
3 Butler C, Hawks C, Hide E, McGhie H, White T (2018) Te Papa natural history collections review panel
recommendations
(https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/sites/default/files/te_papa_natural_history_collections_review_panel_repor
t_october_2018.pdf).
Dr Nic Rawlence
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr David Aguirre
School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University
Jerusha Bennett
Parasite taxonomist, Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr Robert Boessenecker
Mace Brown Museum of Natural History, College of Charleston, South Carolina
Dr Kat Bolstad
Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology
Mike Bowie
Senior Tutor, Department of Pest Management and Conservation, Lincoln University
Dr Dan Breen
School of Science, Auckland University of Technology
Dr Samuel Brown
Applied Entomology, The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research
Dr Chris Clowes
Geological and Nuclear Sciences, and Convener, New Zealand Fossil Record File Special Interest Group,
Geological Society of New Zealand
Dr Catherine Collins
Department of Anatomy, University of Otago
Kimberley Collins
Science communicator
Dr Christopher Cornwall
School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr James Crampton
School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Tim Curran
Department of Pest Management and Conservation, Lincoln University
Dr Mike Dickison
Formerly Curator of Natural History at Whanganui Regional Museum
Dr Kirsten Donald
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr Anne Ford
Archaeology Programme, School of Social Sciences, University of Otago
Dr Karen Greig
Director, Southern Pacific Archaeological Research, University of Otago
Dr Jenny Jandt
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr Sheri Johnson
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr Martyn Kennedy
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Lisa Kirkendale
Private individual
Dr Libby Liggins
School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University
John Marris
Curator, Lincoln University Entomology Research Collection
Dr Graham McCulloch
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Stella McQueen
Freshwater ecologist
Sue Michelsen-Heath
Natural Sciences Curator, Otago Museum 1999-2006
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr Steve O’Shea
Australian Museum, Sydney
Dr Winston Ponder
Formerly Curator of Molluscs, Australian Museum, Sydney
Dr Bronwen Presswell
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Marcus Richards
Fossil preparator, Department of Geology, University of Otago
Dr Karyne Rogers
Senior Scientist, National Isotope Centre, Geological and Nuclear Sciences
Dr Mike Rudge
Formerly Manager of Collections Services at Te Papa
Dr Lisa Russell
Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr Jon Sullivan
Department of Pest Management and Conservation, Lincoln University
Michael Szabo
Editor, Birds New Zealand Magazine
Marianna Terezow
Collection Manager, Geological and Nuclear Sciences
Dr Tim Thomas
Archaeology Programme, School of Social Sciences, University of Otago
Dr Leilani Walker
School of Science, Auckland University of Technology
Nerida Wilson
Private individual
Dr David Winter
School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University