Auckland Museum

In this episode of The Amp, we uncover the big secrets hidden in small change. Come with us into the collections as we look at rare coins and clever counterfeits, and learn what they can tell us about ancient economies, shifting political power, and the everyday lives of the people who spent them.

‘To the Christian, no war can be holy, no war righteous, except the one he must continually wage against sin in all its many and hideous forms, with spiritual weapons only.' These words from Harry Urquhart’s 1917 pamphlet Men & Marbles were just asking for trouble. In this blog, the legacy of Pacifism in the First World War is explored.

In recognition of the 2025 Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa (Samoan Language week), we profile the Samoan writer Maulolo Asiata Wairaki Toevai, and his literary contribution to the 1977-1978 multilingual Pacific Tāmaki Makaurau newspaper, Mana. Written in seven additional languages, the newspaper was a meeting place for many communities engaged in social justice and Māori and Pacific story sovereignty.

What do toilet doors, a ticket stub, and a choir gown have in common? They’re all clues to Aotearoa’s music legacy. Our curators collect more than just the hits - sometimes it’s the stuff you don’t see on stage that brings the history to life. In this episode of The Amp, we reveal the unexpected items that help us preserve the spirit of New Zealand's Music scenes.

When you think of gulls in Auckland you probably picture a large black-backed pirate, swooping down to snatch hot chips at the beach, but new research is revealing just how remarkable these birds really are.

After a large storm hit the Auckland region, Matthew Brown and Ava Peters made an unexpected discovery. The couple came across a large piece of sandstone that had slipped down from the cliff above, displaying the footprints of a large bird. Only one bird in Aotearoa could have left footprints quite that large, the moa.

In celebration of 2025 Rotuman Language Week, we profile the Rotuman writer John Antonio and his 1977-1978 literary contribution of the for the Tāmaki Makaurau Mana newspaper. The Mana: Protest in Print exhibition is currently on until October 2026.