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Te Rā o Waitangi – free Waitangi Day activities at the National Library


26 January 2026

This year, 6 February, between 9am – 4pm, National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa will be celebrating Te Rā o Waitangi – Waitangi Day with a range of free family-friendly activities, a film compilation, and tours of He Tohu.

He Tohu is a joint exhibition by Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga and National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, that features the nine original sheets of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, created and signed in 1840.

The document room, He Whakapapa Kōrero, also houses He Whakaputanga – the 1835 Declaration of Independence and the 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition.

"Seeing the original Treaty sheets up close is very special and there’s no better time than on Waitangi Day. There will be free guided tours, workshops and fun activities for all ages,” says National Library’s Director Community Engagement & Learning, Alison McIntyre.

Entry is free to the National Library and all tours, activities and workshops.

Guided tour times:

Te reo Pākehā (English) tours:


Te reorua (bilingual te reo Māori and English) tours:
30-minute He Tohu tour and Te Wehenga O Rangi Rāua Ko Papa kōrero: 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm.

Connect with taonga from the collection:
  • Join kaimahi to explore a selection of items from the Archives and Library’s extensive collections showing how Te Tiriti is represented in the documentary heritage of Aotearoa. 30 minutes: 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm.

Workshops:
  • Whakahua reo Māori me ngā waiata | Pronunciation and waiata workshop: 11:00am – 11:30am.
  • Ngā Kemu | Games session: 1:00pm – 1:30pm.
  • Representing Te Tiriti | Analysing paintings depicting the signing: 1:30pm-2pm.
  • Make your own waitohu | Calligraphy session: 2:00pm - 2:30pm, 2:30pm – 3:00pm.
  • Te Tiriti timeline activity and quiz: 2:30pm – 3:00pm.

More details for these tours and workshops can be found on the National Library website.

Throughout the day, historical film footage compiled by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, showing Waitangi commemorations, will be screening on loop.

HOME Café is open until 2pm, and City Gallery Wellington, Te Āmiki and the Future Proof: Paintings in Perpetuity exhibition are also open until 4pm.

Media contact:
Filming at He Tohu with Te Tiriti and contextual interviews with Archives New Zealand and National Library specialists can be arranged in advance. Please contact the DIA media desk.

DIA Media Desk
Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs
Mobile: +64 27 535 8639
E-mail: media@dia.govt.nz