Discover
The stories behind the Museum’s collections and exhibitions, and the work of our curators, scientists and staff.
Breaking the Ice: The First Year in Antarctica
Before the world had heard of Scott and Shackleton, another explorer hatched a plan to spend a year in Antarctica. He was Carsten Borchgrevink, and his team proved it was possible for humans to survive the Antarctic winter.
Dogs in Antarctica: Tales from the Pack
Meet the canine characters who helped Antarctic heroes like Scott and Shackleton explore the icy continent. From Kid the Courageous to Osman the Great, the dogs who pulled sledges and provided companionship on the great Antarctic expeditions all had tales of their own.
Blog Posts
Museum curators, scientists and technicians share stories from the Museum’s collections and their internationally-recognised research. Sign up here and we’ll regularly deliver a blog post to your inbox.
Saving the Robust Grasshopper
Thu, 11 Jul 2019
Describing New Zealand's native robust grasshopper might have allowed conservationists to save it from extinction.
Stories
Short stories from the collection and behind the scenes at the Museum. For easy access to our short stories, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our e newsletter.
Muttonbirding on the Chatham Islands
Thu, 14 Nov 2019
Muttonbirding typically refers to the harvest of tītī or Sooty Shearwater chicks - but on the Chatham Islands it could mean the harvest of albatross chicks.
New Brass Chain for Ivan Mauger's Gold Motorbike
Thu, 19 Sep 2019
Ivan Mauger’s gold-plated motorbike is sporting new brass chains thanks to the generosity of a New Plymouth motorbike enthusiast.
Street Sheep
Wed, 04 Sep 2019
In 2014, these brightly-coloured plastic sheep guided traffic on Christchurch's earthquake-muddled streets.
