Tāmaki Paenga Hira: Tui tui hono tangata, whenua me te moana.
Auckland War Memorial Museum: Connecting through sharing stories of people, lands and seas
Auckland Museum is a much-loved culture and heritage organisation at the heart of Auckland's identity, committed to outstanding management of its world-class collections, developing and sharing engaging content through its galleries, exhibition, events, educational programmes and the permanent and volunteer staff who tell the Museum's stories. We are Auckland's home of commemoration as well as the country’s oldest research institution and a major tourist destination.
Job Description
Auckland Museum’s Summer Student Programme is open to promising undergraduate students from a range of disciplines. Students will join a cohort-style programme for ten weeks over the summer to gain career-relevant experience and have the opportunity to train alongside Museum professionals and to gain an insight into the culture and heritage sector. Our Summer Studentships provide an opportunity to undertake a project tailored to your interests and aspirations.
About the programme:
-Summer studentships will run over 10 weeks from 16 November 2026 to 12 February 2027 (with a 3-week break over the Christmas and New Year period)
-Cohort-style programme, with tours and talks from staff at Tāmaki Paenga Hira
- A wide-range of interesting and unique research projects
- A stipend of $7,000 will be awarded to each successfully selected student
Project Description:
Significance & Condition Survey for Heron Cars Limited Archive and Vehicle Collection at MOTAT
This project, delivered in partnership with the Museum of Transport and Technology, will investigate the Heron Cars Limited collection to better understand the significance of one of Aotearoa’s few home-grown sports car manufacturers. The student will undertake research into the Heron vehicles, archival records and photographic collections to establish the relationships between these materials and enrich collection catalogue records. Working alongside MOTAT's Conservation team, the student will also gain practical experience in museum conservation by contributing to condition reports for the Heron vehicles, supporting their long-term preservation and interpretation. The project will culminate in a report summarising the significance of the Heron collection, its historical context, and recommendations for enhancing collection records to support future research, conservation and public engagement.
Desired Skills and Experience
This project will best suit a student with:
Research and analysis skills
Familiarity with Microsoft programmes including SharePoint, Excel & Word
A basic understanding of Gallery, Library, Arts, Museum practice, and an interest in Conservation approaches
An interest in recent-era NZ vehicle manufacturing, 21at century NZ history
Closing Date: 2 September 2026
You must be currently eligible to study in New Zealand to apply for this student training opportunity.
Auckland Museum offers a rich and fulfilling environment where we embrace diversity and nurture our bicultural capability as demonstrated in our Teu le Va and He Korahi Maori strategies. We also offer a range of great benefits including an award-winning wellbeing programme.
This is a great opportunity for someone looking to be part of a fabulous New Zealand organisation committed to telling our national and Auckland stories, reflecting our unique place in the South Pacific.
He Oranga Tangata ka ao Enriching lives. Inspiring discoveries
