'Significant' shake-up proposed for Te Papa’s management

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Te Papa is proposing a “significant” restructure that would see about half its management roles slashed, in a bid to cut costs.

An internal document obtained by The Post shows a new museum management structure that, if approved, would result in 41 roles becoming just 22.

Reconfirmed roles include the chief executive and kaihautū, respectively Courtney Johnston and Dr Arapata Hakiwai, as well as the national museum’s chief operating officer, its pou reo, two pou tikanga roles, head of Māori partnerships, head of enterprise programme management office, chief people officer, head of venues, and the head of the biodiversity research centre project.

All other staff whose roles are proposed to be disestablished, will have to submit expressions of interest for a variety of new positions.

Some of those roles include: head of visitor experience, head of audience development, head of infrastructure and systems, head of sector support and repatriation, head of collection care and access, and head of collection development and engagement.

Te Papa’s current management structure includes five directors, the head of governance and strategy, and a chief operating officer reporting to the chief executive/kaihautū level. Each of those managers have their own teams included in the current management structure, except for the head of governance and strategy.

Under the proposed new structure, just four staff will directly report to the museum’s co-leaders: the deputy chief executive of collections and communities; the chief operating officer and pou whakahaere kaupapa Māori; and the deputy chief executive of experience and audience development.

Those four will be responsible for leading new teams, with the chief operating officer and pou whakahaere kaupapa Māori responsible for nine staff; the deputy chief executive of collections and communities responsible for three staff; and the deputy chief executive of experience and audience development responsible for four staff.

The proposal was presented to affected employees, who were asked for their feedback, on Wednesday.

In a statement to The Post, Johnston and Hakiwai said the proposed changes were “significant” but would “create efficiencies and enable us to work together in new ways”.

Proposed changes for the next phase of the restructure, which would affect the rest of Te Papa’s staff, had not yet been determined, they said.

“Our work with iwi and mana whenua, and delivering on our commitment to Te Tiriti, are vitally important and will remain at the heart of the museum’s work. Out of respect for the needs and mana of our people, we won’t be commenting any further while this internal process is under way.”

Late last week the museum announced it was carrying out a restructure to ensure its financial sustainability, saying rising costs and maintenance of its buildings had put a strain on its cash reserves.

“We’ve made significant operational savings and increases to our revenue, but we need to do more. This review seeks to create enduring financial sustainability,” its co-leaders said.

Phase one of the restructure will occur this year, while phase two will occur early next year. Final decisions on both proposed phases will be implemented in April 2026.

Te Papa introduced a $35 fee for international visitors last year. In just over a month of that scheme being in place the museum generated an extra $343,245 in revenue.

Each year Te Papa receives around half of its funding from the Government (about $43.6 million per year, plus $3m a year for the acquisition of collection items), with the remainder being self-generated.

Its latest financial documents forecast a deficit of $13m after depreciation for the 2025/6 year.