New Zealand museums require a radical re-think

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

Associate Professor Ian Barber

Archaeology Programme, School of Social Sciences, University of Otago

Jerusha Bennett
Parasite taxonomist, Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Dr Alan Beu FRSNZ

Emeritus scientist, Geological and Nuclear Sciences

Professor Phil Bishop

Director of Ecology Programme, 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

Associate Professor Hannah Buckley

School of Science, Auckland University of Technology

Emeritus Professor Carolyn Burns CBE FRSNZ

Department of Zoology, University of Otago
Dr Alison Campbell
Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato

Professor Kendall Clements

School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland

Professor Gerry Closs

Head of Department, Department of Zoology, University of Otago

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

Council of the New Zealand Ecological Society

On behalf of 450+ ecologists in universities and unitecs, crown research institutes, regional councils,
government departments, consultancies and non-governmental organisations.

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

Professor Steve Dawson

Head of Department, Department of Marine Science, University of Otago

Professor Kath Dickinson

Department of Botany, University of Otago

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

Professor Neil Gemmell

Department of Anatomy, University of Otago

Professor Len Gillman

Head of School of Science, Auckland University of Technology
Dr Stephanie Godfrey
Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Dr Karen Greig
Director, Southern Pacific Archaeological Research, University of Otago

Professor Tom Higham FRSNZ

Director, Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, Oxford University

Dr Simon Hills (Ngāti Porou)

School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University

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

Honorary Associate Professor Daphne Lee

Department of Geology, University of Otago

Associate Professor Sebastian Leuzinger

Head of Applied Ecology, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology

Dr Libby Liggins
School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University

Associate Professor Janice Lord

Department of Botany, University of Otago

Associate Professor Cate Macinnis-Ng

School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland

Emeritus Professor Sir Alan Mark CBE KNZM FRSNZ

Department of Botany, University of Otago

John Marris
Curator, Lincoln University Entomology Research Collection

Professor Lisa Matisoo-Smith FRSNZ

Head of Department, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago

Associate Professor Christoph Matthaei

Department of Zoology, University of Otago

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

Professor Mary Morgan-Richards

School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University

Dr Steve O’Shea
Australian Museum, Sydney

Associate Professor Adrian Paterson,

Head of Department, Department of Pest Management and Conservation, Lincoln University

Associate Professor Mike Paulin

Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Dr Winston Ponder
Formerly Curator of Molluscs, Australian Museum, Sydney

Professor Robert Poulin FRSNZ

Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Dr Bronwen Presswell
Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Marcus Richards
Fossil preparator, Department of Geology, University of Otago

Associate Professor Peter Ritchie

School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington

Associate Professor Bruce Robertson

Department of Zoology, 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

Professor Phil Seddon

Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Professor Mary Sewell

School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland
Associate Professor Nick Shears
Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland
President of the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society representing 200+ marine scientists in universities
and unitecs, crown research institutes, regional councils, government departments, consultancies, non-
governmental organisations and industry

Professor Elisabeth Slooten

Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Professor Abigail Smith

Department of Marine Science, University of Otago

Professor Hamish Spencer FRSNZ

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

Professor Steve Trewick

School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University

Associate Professor Yolanda van Heezik

Department of Zoology, University of Otago

Dr Leilani Walker
School of Science, Auckland University of Technology

Professor Richard Walter FRSNZ

Head of Archaeology Programme, School of Social Sciences, University of Otago

Associate Professor Maren Wellenreuther

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland

Nerida Wilson
Private individual

Dr David Winter
School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University

Associate Professor Giuseppe Zuccarello

School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington
The anonymous scientist
This represents scientists from New Zealand institutions who support this move but cannot put their name
to this article publicly