Highlights

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!

New Zealand Music Month is a time to celebrate and support our local New Zealand music industry. Since the early days of recorded sound technology, New Zealanders have enjoyed the ease of being able to listen to their favourite tracks on demand. But it wasn't until the mid-20th century that New Zealand produced music showcasing local artists was commercially available. Here's a selection of gramophone records and players produced in New Zealand from MOTAT's collections.