What’s on
Giant building blocks
Let your kids imaginations run wild with our new foam building set. The blocks are available all day Friday - Sunday.
Exhibition: Regional Gallery
Explore the rich heritage and natural history of the Nelson Tasman region in our permanent gallery.
TAKU RAU TĪKUMU
He whetū i te rangi, he whetū ki te whenua. A star in the sky, a star on the earth. Taku Rau Tīkumu explores the enduring relationship between people and alpine landscapes through the story of tīkumu - a resilient mountain plant bound to generations of knowledge, skill, and care.
Gala Royale
Join Nelson Provincial Museum for the Gala Royale Dinner and Fundraising Auction, an elegant black tie evening supporting the new Archives, Research and Collections (ARC) facility. Enjoy a three course dinner, live entertainment, fundraising auctions, and an inspiring keynote from Nathan Fa’avae ONZM, while helping preserve the region’s heritage collection for future generations.
FLOOR TALK: TAKU RAU TĪKUMU
Join exhibition curators Hamuera Manihera and Naomi Aporo for a special floor talk exploring Taku Rau Tīkumu: He whetū i te rangi, he whetū ki te whenua / A star in the sky, a star on the earth.
OPEN DAY : Isel Park Research Facility
As part of Tuku 2026, we are opening the doors to the museum’s
Isel Park Research Facility for a special Open Day.
Five Films For Freedom
Join us for a special screening of Five Films For Freedom, the world’s widest-reaching LGBTQIA+ online celebration.
Light & Bubble Magic with Mr Science
Session2
Join Mr Science at Nelson Provincial Museum for a fun, interactive exploration of light and colour (and bubbles!), inspired by our exhibition Te Ao Kanapa: The Wonder of Light, Colour and Pattern.
Light & Bubble Magic with Mr Science
Session1
Join Mr Science at Nelson Provincial Museum for a fun, interactive exploration of light and colour (and bubbles!), inspired by our exhibition Te Ao Kanapa: The Wonder of Light, Colour and Pattern.
Kaleidoscope Workshop with Jolie
Session 2
Step into a world of colour! In this fun, hands-on workshop, tamariki will create their own kaleidoscope to take home, decorated and filled with sparkle, patterns, and plenty of imagination.
Kaleidoscope Workshop with Jolie
Session 1
Step into a world of colour! In this fun, hands-on workshop, tamariki will create their own kaleidoscope to take home, decorated and filled with sparkle, patterns, and plenty of imagination.
Te Ao Kanapa: The Wonder of Light, Colour and Pattern
Get ready for a summer of wonder! Te Ao Kanapa: The Wonder of Light, Colour and Pattern is a bold new interactive experience where science, art, and play collide. Light bends, patterns pulse, and surprises await around every corner.
Hou Rongo: Moriori, Music and Manawa
Immerse yourself in Hou Rongo: Moriori, Music and Manawa, a multisensory experience celebrating the culture of New Zealand’s Indigenous Moriori people.
20 Years of Wonder: Celebrating Twenty Years in the Heart of the City
Join us for MĪharo! 20 Years of Wonder, a community celebration marking two decades since the Nelson Provincial Museum opened its Trafalgar Street doors.
Box City
These school holidays the Museum's Education Room will be transformed into Box City, a bustling cardboard metropolis where you are the architect.
Kids’ Art Competition
Be inspired by Toi Koru: Sandy Adsettand create your own koru artwork!
WE NEED YOUR VOICE
Join us at the museum for an update on the ARC (Archive, Research and Collections) Project and the long-term storage solution for the museum's collection.
TOI KORU: Sandy Adsett
Experience the bold brilliance of Toi Koru, the first major survey exhibition of paintings by Māori master of colour and kōwhaiwhai, Dr Sandy Adsett.
Toi Ahiahi - Afternoon Activities at the Museum
Wracking your brain for after school activities with the kids? Why not head along to the Museum and join one of our drop-in workshops for kids?
Matariki Star Workshop (Copy)
Get ready to stitch some magic! In this fun, hands-on workshop, kids will decorate their very own wooden star using colorful threads and plenty of imagination.
Matariki Star Workshop
Get ready to stitch some magic! In this fun, hands-on workshop, kids will decorate their very own wooden star using colorful threads and plenty of imagination.
Mana Māna: Kim Ireland
In Mana Māna, local artist Kim Ireland (Tūhourangi, Tapuika, Korean) explores whakapapa and inter-generational strength through uku (clay).
Floor Talk: Sue Heydon
Join us for a special floor talk by local artist Sue Heydon, as she discusses her deeply personal exhibition, George’s War: Following My Father’s Journey.
Tuku 25: Coin Pendant Workshop. Session 2
Come along and transform an old coin into a shiny pendant.
Tuku 25: Coin Pendant Workshop. Session 1
Come along and transform an old coin into a shiny pendant.
Floor Talk: Keri-mei Zagrobelna and Hamuera Manihera
Join us for a special floor talk at Nelson Provincial Museum
KOHĀ
Fresh from Munich Jewellery Week, KOHĀ is an activation led by Neke Moa, Sofia Tekela-Smith and Stevei Houkāmau.
Tuku 25: Toi Ahiahi Heritage Themed Crafts
Join us for a heritage-inspired craft activity! Perfect for ages 6+
Pāhekoheko: Keri-Mei Zagrobelna
Pāhekoheko (noun) - connection, relationship, association, interaction, combination. Keri-Mei Zagrobelna’s latest body of work explores her deep connections to Whakatū…
Unboxed:The Collection Unpacked
Nelson, New Zealand – Peek behind the curtain of the Nelson Provincial Museum Pupuri Taonga o Te Tai Ao
Five Films for Freedom / Free Screening at Nelson Provincial Museum
Join us for a special screening of Five Films for Freedom – the world’s widest-reaching LGBTQIA+ online celebration!
George’s War. Sue Heydon, Following my Father’s Journey
George’s War: Following My Father’s Journey is an intimate and poignant exhibition by local artist Sue Heydon, exploring her father’s harrowing experience as a WWII prisoner of war.
Entering a Mass Extinction Event: Causes, Solutions, and the Future
Join Dr Aaron Stallard for a journey through geological time as he discusses evolution, extinction events, and the way human activity is shaping the planet today.