5 July 2007

MEDIA RELEASE

Te Papa Visitor Numbers Highest in Five Years

Te Papa received 1,351,675 visits in the 2006/2007 financial year, making it the third busiest financial year since the museum opened in 1998 and improving on last year’s visitation figures by 76,620 visits.

The popularity of two major touring exhibitions from overseas, Constable: Impressions of Land, Sea and Sky (5 July - 8 October 200606; 98,328 visits) and Egypt: Beyond the Tomb (9 December 2006 – 20 April 200707; 120,358 visits), have contributed to the high visitation numbers. The current TOWER Gallery exhibition, The Poisoners! Solve the murder if you dare…, is proving very successful with over 46,000 visits since opening at Queen’s Birthday weekend.

‘A greater number of New Zealanders, including local and regional Wellingtonians, visited the museum last financial year and the upcoming programme of events and exhibitions will provide plenty of reason to come back during the current year,’ said Dr Seddon Bennington, Te Papa’s Chief Executive.

‘Te Papa turns 10 in 2008 and we will be celebrating the museum’s birthday with a party in February and a programme of exciting exhibitions and events throughout the year,’ Dr Bennington said.

Over half of the visits to the museum were made by New Zealanders (approximately 22% from outside the Wellington region and 32% from Wellington city and region). International visitors made up approximately 46% of visitors.

Two new significant exhibitions will open in the next three months: The Scots in New Zealand exhibition in the Community Gallery on Level 4, followed by the new long-term Pacific Island exhibition, Tangata o le Moana, in October.

ENDS

Te Papa total visitation by financial year
NOTE: Te Papa’s financial year runs from
1 July to 30 June.

Financial Year Visits
1998/1999 1,646,244
1999/2000 1,368,951
2000/2001 1,288,279
2001/2002 1,314,208
2002/2003 1,344,492
2003/2004 1,289,034
2004/2005 1,264,291
2005/2006 1,275,055
2006/2007 1,351,675