Tāu haerenga mai | Your visit

Lets work together to ensure a smooth visit!
Each teacher responsible for booking a class must read the visitor guidelines before they attend a lesson.

Ngā tohutohu toro | Visitor Guidelines
View guidelines here

Adult to student ratios
The correct adult to student ratios are important to meet the Health & Safety Act (2015) and the Vulnerability of Children Act (2014). We reserve the right to postpone the lesson until the correct number of adults are observed.

Āheitanga (tautoko ā tauira) |
Accessibility (support for students)

We are committed to creating accessible opportunities and spaces for learners across our institutions:

• Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre
• Puke Ariki

When you book let us know your students' support needs as we can adapt lessons to suit your group.

We supply social stories designed to prepare students before they visit the Gallery, Museum and Library. The stories use descriptions and visual aids to describe what students should expect during a lesson.

Social Story - Govett-Brewster Art Gallery / Len Lye Centre
Social Story - Puke Ariki Museum
Social Story - Puke Ariki Libraries

Te ao Māori | Te reo Māori 

Ka mau te wehi! He Pouako Ara Māori kei tō mātou tīmā pouako o te Whare Taonga, Ko Manu Bennett.

Tēnā whakapā mai ki te nama e whai ake mō te roanga o ngā whakamahukitanga e pā ana ki ngā akoranga Māori. Whakapā atu ki manu.bennett@npdc.govt.nz or phone 067596710 kei te Whare Taonga.

Good news! We have Pouako Ara Māori, Manu Bennett in the Museum education team.

To find out what the Gallery and Museum can offer kura kaupapa and mainstream classes with a Te Ao Māori focus, please contact manu.bennett@npdc.govt.nz or phone 067596710 at the museum.

Ngā pātai auau |
Frequently asked questions

Are we able to access taonga in the museum collection that belongs to our iwi or comes from our area?  
The museum cares for a diverse and extensive collection of significant taonga Māori. We'd love to connect you with the Museum Curators and find ways to share their knowledge and access with you.

How can I build a ‘Pick-a-path’ learning experience across the Museum, Gallery, and Library? 
All three institutions offer cross-curricular programmes designed to complement each other across various subject areas. These programmes are interconnected, providing opportunities to create a cohesive learning experience that allows you to explore themes from different perspectives. Whether you start at the Museum, Gallery, or Library, you can build a tailored learning adventure that best meets your pedagogical intentions.

What hands-on activities are available?  
Our Museum, Gallery, and Library programmes include hands-on learning experiences. Students can engage in creative projects, interactive activities, and handle artefacts from our education collection. Our programmes are designed to be immersive, and embodied, offering tactile and experiential learning opportunities while ensuring all visitors are briefed on guidelines for a safe and respectful experience. 

Pūtea āwhina mo te pahi  |
Subsidised Education Bus

Through the generous support of the Govett-Brewster Foundation and Puke Ariki Trust, transport assistance may be available to help your school visit the Museum, Library, and Art Gallery.

Eligible primary and secondary schools across Taranaki can access subsidised bus transport. This can be used to visit a single site or to rotate between programmes at both Puke Ariki and the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre.

Each class can access this subsidy once per year. Bookings must be approved in advance before arranging transport with Withers Coachlines.

Please note that subsidy amounts are based on your school’s Equity Index (EQI) and distance from our sites, and are typically available for 20 or 40 seater buses. Eligibility criteria have recently been updated, so we recommend getting in touch to confirm your school’s eligibility.

Booking Guidelines:

• Please book your education programme/s first with either institution.
• Once you have a confirmed date for your education programme/s you can access the subsidy by contacting the Mīharo team (details below).
• Preapproval is required for the class/school and will be given by Puke Ariki/Govett-Brewster Art Gallery to Withers for the relevant subsidy.
• Schools must contact Withers directly to book/organise your bus on travel@withers.co.nz or 06 751 1777. Please note email is preferred.
• For more information on the bus subsidy and your eligibility please contact the Mīharo Team at: Miharo@npdc.govt.nz or phone: 06 759 6710.

Image: New Plymouth Tramways, Douglas Elliot, Collection of Puke Ariki PHO2004-287