Donating items to Puke Ariki

• Puke Ariki collects taonga and objects linked to Taranaki. They may have been made in Taranaki, they may be associated with the iwi of the Taranaki region, or other peoples or groups living in Taranaki in the past or present.
• We consider who made and used the item and its significance to their life story, and to Taranaki.
• It is important that we know who owns it now, and who has owned it in the past.
• The object needs to be in a reasonably strong and sound condition, although it may be old.
• If we already have the same or a similar object in our collection, we might not accept another example.
• We prefer to collect original material, not copies, unless the original no longer exists or its location is unknown.
• We have limited capacity to accept very large items.

We are pleased that you are thinking of donating items to Puke Ariki’s collections, but please do not bring them to us yet.

First, please complete this form. It is important to include a photograph of your object if you can, to help us understand what you are offering to the collection.

A curator will contact you to let you know if they would like you to bring the object in to show them, or if it cannot be accepted. They will talk with you about the object and its history. 

If the object is of interest, you will be asked to complete an Interim Receipt, and leave it at the Museum while the curatorial team make a formal decision about whether it will be accepted or declined.

Please email us first, curators@npdc.govt.nz, or phone us on (06) 759 6060. It is helpful if you can provide a list of the items in your collection, or we may need to view your collection at your home.

We will ask you to complete a Deed of Gift, transferring legal ownership of your object to Puke Ariki. This transferral includes copyright, unless you state otherwise.

The object will then be registered and put on our collections database, which is accessible to the public. Researchers may request to view your object.

The object might be included in our displays, but we cannot guarantee this. 

For information about taonga Māori donations, see the relevant section below.

If the curatorial team declines the object, and you have indicated on the Interim Receipt that you would like the object returned, you will be contacted by email and must collect the object within four weeks.

If you have indicated on the Interim Receipt that you would like the object to be disposed of if declined, we will do so on your behalf, as long as it is practical to do so.

We need your contact details, and details about the object such as where and when it was made if known, who used or owned it, any associated stories, and information about its significance to Taranaki’s past. If it is a natural history specimen, we need to know where and when it was collected, and by whom.

If your item is accepted into the collection, you will sign a legal document called a Deed of Gift, which transfers ownership from you to the Museum, and unless you state otherwise, transfers copyright to Puke Ariki also. The Museum then has the right to make decisions about the handling, care, storage, display and deaccessioning of the item, in accordance with the Puke Ariki Heritage Collection Plan.

The Deed of Gift constitutes a legal statement by you that you hold full and clear title to the object, and that there are no other legal claims by other persons or entities to the object. You indemnify Puke Ariki against any claims associated with the object’s ownership status. In signing, you also acknowledge that Puke Ariki is not legally bound to return your donation to you or any of your family at any time in the future.

The Museum does not accept loans except in very specific circumstances, for example, for display in an exhibition. 

Taonga Māori that have been in your family or gifted to you can be offered to the Museum. If you wish, they can be placed under a Kaitiaki agreement in which you provide details for their custodianship, with designated individuals in your whānau, hapū or iwi having primary access.

If you have found a Māori taonga, for example in your garden or at the beach, you must bring it to the Museum. Any taonga found after 1976 fall under the Protected Objects Act, and the Museum is required to register them with Manatū Taonga, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.

Taonga tūturu are defined in section 2 of the Protected Objects Act as objects which relate to Māori culture, history or society; and which appear to have been manufactured or modified in New Zealand by Māori; or brought into New Zealand by Māori; or have been used by Māori; and which are more than 50 years old.

Please see the following website for more information: Taonga Tūturu | Ministry for Culture and Heritage (mch.govt.nz)

Puke Ariki welcomes donation offers of natural history specimens, however some donations are governed by the Wildlife Act 1953 and the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978. These acts protect our native wildlife and cover every native bird, reptile, amphibian, fish or mammal that you might bring into the Museum. All native wildlife in our collection must be listed under the Museum’s Wildlife Permit and registered with the Department of Conservation.

If you have any native taxidermy at home you will also require a Wildlife Permit. For further information please contact the Department of Conservation.

If you find a dead native bird please do not bring this into the Museum. Instead contact your local Department of Conservation to organise disposal.