Archives New Zealand

At Archives New Zealand, you can view fascinating displays based on historic documents, maps, paintings, photos and films.

Archives New Zealand in downtown Wellington provides a chance to come face-to-face with the life-altering significance of ink on paper.

This is the country's largest repository of original information on New Zealand's history and development. Its role is to ensure the government's activities are recorded and the records are kept permanently, while making them available to the public - no small task. The collection includes documents, maps, paintings, photos and film.

Some of the most important documents are on permanent display, under strict environmental controls, in the Constitution Room. Here you can see originals of the Treaty of Waitangi, the founding document of modern New Zealand, and the 1893 Women's suffrage petition, which led to New Zealand becoming the first independent nation to give women the vote. The oldest document is the Declaration of Independence of the Northern Chiefs, signed by 34 northern Maori chiefs in 1835.

The other galleries at Archives New Zealand display regular temporary exhibitions based on items from the collection. Always entertaining and thought provoking, these high-quality exhibitions will give you a rare insight into significant aspects of New Zealand life.

Archives New Zealand is located at 10 Mulgrave Street, Thorndon - close to Parliament Buildings and the Wellington Railway Station. There is a great café in the foyer.

Exhibitions are open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-1pm. The reading room is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Entry is free.

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