Understand how Museums Aotearoa and National Services Te Paerangi work together in support of the cultural, arts and heritage sector.

Museums Aotearoa (MA) and National Services Te Paerangi (NSTP) have different roles, responsibilities and functions in the cultural, arts and heritage sector, but work together across our activities to help the sector thrive.

MA and NSTP have distinct funding structures, guiding documents and management and board structures.

Museums Aotearoa

Museums Aotearoa (MA) is an independent membership organisation for institutions that collect and/or exhibit art, taonga and objects for public good and the benefit of their community. MA also represents and supports the people who work in those institutions, who care for and interpret their unique collections.

Members must agree to abide to MA’s Code of Ethics and policies. Membership – and adhering to MA’s policies – demonstrates a commitment to the profession.

MA is a non-profit incorporated society that operates in accordance with a Constitution and governed by a Board of members who are elected annually from the MA membership. MA is mostly funded by membership fees with additional support from sponsorships and grants.

Find out more about Museums Aotearoa

National Services Te Paerangi

National Services Te Paerangi (NSTP) is a team within the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa) that offers a range of practical and strategic programmes to iwi, museums and galleries throughout New Zealand. These programmes recognise that communities hold significant cultural collections and knowledge that contribute to our national identity, and have an important part to play in the ongoing care and protection of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Aotearoa.

Te Papa is an autonomous Crown entity that operates under the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Act 1992. One of the functions described by the Act is ‘to co-operate with and assist other New Zealand museums in establishing a national service, and in providing appropriate support to other institutions and organisations holding objects or collections of national importance’.

As such, the work of NSTP is funded by the Crown and guided by the Te Papa statement of intent, with the intended outcome that: ‘New Zealand and overseas museums and art galleries benefit from access to support, expertise and collections from Te Papa.’

Our work focuses on providing expertise to the cultural sector, through training opportunities, resources, grants, responding to enquiries and face to face assistance.

Find out more about National Services Te Paerangi

How Museums Aotearoa and National Services Te Paerangi work together to support the sector

• We share combined knowledge of sector needs with each other and with external agencies and organisations
• We strengthen the profession through workforce development, mentoring and leadership training
• We support training providers to deliver world class museum and gallery qualifications in the Aotearoa New Zealand context
• We support the sector to be more resilient in the face of increasing risks
• We uphold the Museum Aotearoa Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
• We work collaboratively with each other to establish positions and prepare submissions on sector wide issues.

For a full description read the document here.