Matariki – Matariki herenga waka – For Everyone, July 2026

As winter settles over Aotearoa and the star cluster of Matariki rises once more in the pre-dawn sky, museums across the country are opening their doors to welcome the Māori New Year. Across the motu, communities are gathering to sing, craft, wish upon the stars and reconnect with traditions that stretch back generations, blending ancient mātauranga with modern celebration.

Here’s how four of New Zealand’s leading museums are marking Matariki 2026.

At the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, the programme is guided by this year’s theme, Matariki herenga waka, recognising the stories, traditions and mātauranga carried by waka and the voyages that have connected people across the Pacific for generations. Te Papa’s flagship event for Matariki 2026 is the Taikura Kapa Haka festival, which brings together hundreds of kaumātua from across Aotearoa to perform kapa haka, waiata and poi with the support of their whānau and museum visitors. This is the 20th anniversary of the event. Te Papa’s Matariki hub has also become the most-visited section of the museum’s website.

Museum of Transport and Technology invites visitors to send their Matariki wishes to the wishing star Hiwa-i-te-rangi through the digital experience Ki a Hiwa Rā!, creating a moment for reflection and connection. Whetu (star) making crafts, a Matariki stamp trail and an immersive VR journey through the night sky are also part of the activities. A special LIVE Day: Weather Science on 19 July explores the weather stars Waipunarangi and Ururangi, and Mānawatia a Matariki flags will be flying on the trams that run between the two museum locations. For school students, MOTAT’s education programme “He Mahinga Kai, He Mahinga Tāngata – Gather Food, Gather People” explores Matariki through innovation, food and technology.

Tūhura Otago Museum welcomes the community to celebrate Matariki & Puaka through dawn ceremonies, cultural performances, hands-on activities, traditional crafts, taoka pūoro, mau rākau and Planetarium screenings, offering families meaningful opportunities to connect with the stories, traditions and significance of the Māori New Year.

Auckland War Memorial Museum encourages New Zealanders to deepen their understanding of Matariki through stories of the nine whetū, the traditions associated with the Māori New Year and practical ways to celebrate with whānau. Its resources explore remembrance, the environment, food gathering and aspirations for the year ahead, reinforcing Matariki as both an ancient tradition and a living cultural practice.