Skip to main content
New Zealand’s Antarctic Heritage Trust has returned a carefully reconstructed beer barrel to the Antarctic hut that was home to Sir Ernest Shackleton’s historic ‘Nimrod’ expedition in 1908.
Shackleton’s 111-year-old beer barrel returns to Antarctica
Te Matatini 2019 will be held at Wellington's Westpac Stadium and is expected to attract 65,000 people. The festival theme ‘Te Matatini ki te Ao’ is an embodiment of the aspirations and dreams of the festival hosts Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Atiawa me ngā iwi o Taranaki whānui. The festival started in 1972, is in its 46th year and tickets can be purchased through the Te Matatini website.
Te Matatini Society Inc
Two New Zealand films have been announced to screen at the prestigious SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas in March.
Two New Zealand Films to Premiere at SXSW
Creative New Zealand invites Māori and contemporary Pasifika artists to apply to represent Aotearoa at the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Hawai’i from 10-20 June 2020.
Rich opportunity for Māori and Pasifika artists at Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture - Hawai’i 2020
This year in 2019, New Zealand will mark 250 years since the first meetings between Māori and Europeans during James Cook and the Endeavour's 1769 voyage to Aotearoa New Zealand. A national commemoration, Tuia – Encounters 250, will acknowledge this pivotal moment in our nation’s history as well as the exceptional feats of Pacific voyagers who reached and settled in Aotearoa many years earlier.
Tuia – Encounters 250
Arielle Walker and Jasmine Grace have vivid memories of visiting NPDC’s TSB Festival of Lights as kids and being captivated by the magic of the lights. Seed and Nebula Now are on display in Pukekura Park until Sunday 3 February.
Magic of NPDC’s TSB Festival of Lights inspires artists
Landmark repertoire and a feast of new commissions define the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 2019 season. The national ballet company will expand its touring schedule while continuing its commitment to education and outreach.
Royal New Zealand Ballet's 2019 Season Revealed
Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories (Te Tai), launched by the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, will help us connect with our past and share the multi-faceted history of Treaty settlements. Te Tai presents a package of online resources including audio-visual oral history interviews, research articles, documentaries, multi-media web stories and educational resources in both English and Māori.
Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories
The NZSO will tour a new baroque music series in 2019 & expand its innovative Shed Series concerts in Wellington.
NZSO to offer more Shed Series concerts and new Baroque Series in 2019

Get the full story

Home What We Do Current Our projects

Our projects


Pukeahu National War Memorial Park

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park commemorates more than 30, 000 New Zealanders who died in conflict and honours all who have served.

National Erebus Memorial

With the 40th anniversary of the Erebus accident to be marked in 2019, the New Zealand government is initiating a project to construct a national memorial. Erebus remains one of New Zealand's worst civil accidents in terms of loss of life, the scale of loss shocked the nation. 

Tuia Encounters 250

This year in 2019, New Zealand will mark 250 years since the first meetings between Māori and Europeans during James Cook and the Endeavour's 1769 voyage to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Christchurch Recovery Strategy

Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture & Heritage is working to renew greater Christchurch’s unique identity and its vitality expressed through sport, recreation, art, history, heritage and traditions.

28th (Māori) Battalion company histories

Histories of A, B and D Companies of the 28th Māori Battalion are being undertaken.

Tohu Whenua

Discover, experience and enjoy the places that have shaped New Zealand and created our stories. Whether you’re a New Zealander or a visitor, you can gain a deeper understanding of who we were and who we are today by visiting Tohu Whenua sites. The Tohu Whenua programme combines culture and heritage with beautiful natural settings.

First World War Centenary Projects

Our historians are developing a series of projects to commemorate the centennial of the First World War.

Public Media Advisory Group

The Ministry is the Secretariat for the Ministerial Advisory Group established by Hon Clare Curran, Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media. The Advisory Group will be advising the Minister on the establishment of a Public Media Funding Commission, and on the allocation of public media funding.

Te Tai Treaty Settlement Stories

Te Tai Treaty Settlement Stories will produce a comprehensive account of the recent history of Treaty of Waitangi settlements from all perspectives.

Watts Peninsula

The Ministry is working with other government agencies on the creation of the Watts Peninsula site as a reserve under the Reserves Act 1977.

Updated on 6th March 2018