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Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wāhine The Women's Suffrage Petition

When Governor Glasgow signed the Electoral Bill on 19 September 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing nation in the world where women had won the right to vote.

In 1893 Aotearoa New Zealand became the first country in the world in which all women gained the right to vote in general elections — thanks to the women who created, organised and signed the Women’s Suffrage Petition.

Resilient archives, resilient communities

Christchurch Regional Archivist Joanna Condon looks at how archives can support communities in being resilient in the face of natural disasters

First World War medal recipient photographs

Take a look at some of the photos of First World War gallantry medal winners

Housing in New Zealand

A look at some of the different homes and houses in New Zealand through the archives

The Breakout at Minqar Qaim

Read about the breakout at Minqar Qaim that occurred in North Africa during the Second World War

The National Collection of War Art: Seismic hanging system

Read more about the project to replace the hanging system used for the National Collection of War Art

Sending out an SOS

Ever wondered what happens when a message in a bottle is found? A file held at our Wellington archive shows how these messages were investigated by the Marine Department in the first half of the twentieth century

The 1918 Influenza Outbreak in New Zealand

COVID-19 has caused interest in New Zealand's worst disease outbreak, the 1918 Influenza Epidemic. Read more about how that epidemic impacted a rural community in the Bay of Plenty

Unclaimed Anzac Scrolls now available online

97 unclaimed Commemorative Scrolls from World War II (1939 to 1945) and the Korean War (1950 to 1953) are now available online.

War art at home

In 1981, we began gathering the National Collection of War Art to Archives NZ from art institutions around the country. Now the full variety of these 1500+ works can be viewed in our digital collection.

Pride in the archives

In recognition of Pride events and celebrations wrapping up around the country, we'd like to highlight a selection of LGBTQIA+ records we hold that show the diversity of archives available to the public.

The Wreck of the SS Penguin

On February 12, 1909, the steam ship “Penguin” departed Picton for Wellington in favourable conditions, carrying over 100 passengers and crew. By the end of the night over two thirds of those on board had lost their lives

Japanese star visits the archives

The Rugby World Cup kicks off in Japan this month and Archives New Zealand has received several requests for film footage relating to rugby. Back in March Japanese tv station NHK paid us a visit to do some onsite filming with Japanese actor Gaku Hamada

Ko wai ngā rangatira i waitohu i He Whakaputanga? Who were the rangatira who signed He Whakaputanga?

He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni - known in English as the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand – signalled the emergence of Māori authority on the world stage

Carmen's new passport

Carmen Rupe, or simply ‘Carmen’ was a New Zealand-Australian drag performer, brothel keeper, activist, political candidate, and HIV/AIDS activist

Colonial cartography

Highlighting some of the earliest survey maps of the Canterbury, Westland, Nelson and Marlborough Land Districts

He Tohu Rangatira - Māori Women & the 1893 Suffrage Petition

Stories of Māori Women who signed the 1893 suffrage petition

The definition of a woman in 1893

The 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition states ‘that large numbers of Women in the Colony have for several years petitioned Parliament to extend franchise to them’. But how did they define ‘Women’? Who was included and excluded in this definition?