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They form part of the rich cultural and artistic
heritage of our region. To help ensure that art and
taonga of significance to the Waikato remain here, the
Trust has been collecting pieces since 1999.
The art and taonga collection, now comprising
over 260 paintings and objects, focuses on the
Waikato region, with works that bring a historical,
contemporary or social context. Housed at the
Waikato Museum in Hamilton, the collection is
properly conserved in museum conditions. The
Trust has a dedicated gallery located on the ground
floor of the museum which displays works from the
collection all year round. A small number of works are
also displayed at our Annual Public Meeting, held in
different towns across the region.
Work was undertaken in 2012 to digitise the
collection. The online catalogue can be viewed from
our website
through a link
on our art and taonga page. It is also available from
Waikato Museum’s website
The online catalogue will continue to be added to
over time.
The Trust has an annual art budget which provides
for new acquisitions and ongoing maintenance for the
collection. In 2013, the following three paintings were
added to the collection.
Art and taonga are important symbols of
who we are and where we have come from.
Preserving Art and Taonga
Uputo Ali’ifa’alogo;
Family II
Garth Tapper;
Port Waikato Sand Dunes
Barbara Tuck;
Asylum Harbour
