Heritage and research/Wharepapa - Archives

Wharepapa - Archives

Visit Wharepapa - Archive on the ground floor of Te Ao Mārama Tauranga Library & Community Hub to explore our archives, heritage and special books.

Historic book from the library’s special collections.

Wharepapa - Archive opening hours

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9.30am - 5.00pm

Wednesday: 9.30am - 7.00pm

Saturday, Sunday, Monday: 9.30am - 1.00pm

Explore our archives, heritage and special books

Appointments to visit can be made by contacting the Heritage and Research team by email: research@tauranga.govt.nz or phone 07 577 7177.
Tauranga Archives can be searched via Pae Korokī.
Special books can be searched via the Library Catalogue. Depending on the title, there may also be borrowable or reference copies at a community library.

Archive Collections

Pae Korokī serves as a tomokanga, a gateway welcoming you to explore the Te Ao Mārama Tauranga City Libraries archives, including archive collections, images, maps, publications, audio visual resources. Enjoy discovering the diverse and unique stories of Tauranga Moana.

Archive collections

Te Waharoa o te Mana Mātauranga

Created by James (Hemi) Tapiata, Te Waharoa o te Mana Mātauranga (The Gateway to the Power of Knowledge), currently greets visitors to the Archives and Special Books collections. Members of Tūhononga Wairua presented Te Waharoa o te Mana, to attract and welcome Māori, and provide a point of identification for all who visit.

Te Waharoa o te Mana Mātauranga

Special Collections

Special Books Collection

New Zealand-related publications that are rare, fragile, locally distinctive or very-difficult-to-replace. Sometimes there may also be a borrowable or reference copy at a community library.

Special books collection

Maori Special Books

Māori Special Books Collection

Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) publications that are rare, fragile, locally distinctive or very-difficult-to-replace Sometimes there may also be a borrowable or reference copy at a community library.

Māori Special Books Collection

Sladden Collection

The Sladden library includes early editions of Cook’s voyages, the beautifully illustrated Buller’s Birds and a comprehensive collection of publications by Elsdon Best.

Sladden collection

Munro

Munro Collection

This collection of books is of interest to anyone researching, or with just an interest in, nautical history.

Munro Collection