Highlights

A selection of collection of colour renderings and reports created for the Auckland Rapid Transit project (1973-1976) from the Richard Croker Collection.

Donation by TechLab NZ Ltd of first and second generation HirstLens NZ equipment with accompanying archive showing examples of business records, marketing ephemera and pictorial items.

A collection of manuscript, ephemera, pictorial and object items relating to Jean Batten and the management and flight of the Percival Gull aircraft.
The collection includes original engine log books, aircraft log books, and 'Form 700' records which evidence the history of the aircraft when it was registered as G-ADPR and AX866; log books issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand with aircraft registration ZK-DPR; photographs of Jean Batten in Naples; instructional documents related to the aircraft; ownership transfer and management documentation; a scrapbook relating to the return of Percival Gull G-ADPR, a flying cap worn by Jean Batten and flight instruments.

A series of posters advertising flights from New Zealand

From idea, to prototype to product. Explore objects which reflect how innovation creates technological change in everyday objects. This highlight is a supplementary resource for our Inventions and Innovation online education programme: motat.nz/learning/online-workshops

With modern technology a message that took 3 months to reach the other side of the world 100 years ago, now takes 0.3 seconds! From letters, Morse code to the text message, the fast pace of technological change shaped how we live our lives and how we stay connected. Discover objects that have shaped the way we communicate today. This highlight is a supplementary resource for our Communications online education programme: motat.nz/learning/online-workshops

New Zealanders are known for inventing things. Since the beginning of Aotearoa’s human history, being geographically isolated meant that its inhabitants began innovating out of necessity. If you cannot get what you need, you make it! The phrase ‘Number 8 wire mentality’ comes from Kiwi's ability to make what they need from what they have on hand. Take inspiration from these objects created by Kiwi innovators through the design thinking process. This highlight is a supplementary resource for our LifeHack! online education programme motat.nz/learning/online-workshops

Supporting resources for the development of education programmes for the New Zealand Histories Curriculum.

The six classical simple machines are the wheel and axle, the lever, the inclined plane (or ramp), the pulley, the wedge, and the screw. People have been using the six simple machines to move stuff around for thousands of years. These days, the simple machines are all around us in both obvious and surprising places. Check out some interesting examples of simple machines from our collection. While you look, try to identify which simple machines each object or image contains. Some have just one machine and some have a whole lot!