COVID-19 Postpones Auckland Museum’s Iconic British Museum Exhibition

The launch of Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum’s international exhibition Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes from the British Museum in London has been postponed until mid-2022. COVID-19 has had a major impact on touring exhibitions across the globe and here in Aotearoa.

This highly anticipated exhibition will come to the Australasian region for the first time, as part of a partnership between the British Museum, Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum, the National Museum of Australia, and the Western Australian Museum.

The exhibition, from the British Museum’s world-renowned collection from the Ancient Greek world, is the largest selection of ancient artefacts ever loaned by the British Museum to New Zealand.

It will showcase a wide range of treasures and stories and includes a selection of iconic sculptures from the ‘Mausoleum at Halikarnassos’, one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.

Logistical challenges in bringing international exhibitions to Australia and Aotearoa during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have prompted the rescheduling of Ancient Greeks, which was due to open last month.

“We continue to explore other exhibition offerings and their viability and remain committed to the importance of international special exhibitions in bringing the world to Auckland,’ says Dr David Gaimster, Chief Executive. “We continue to work with international partners on an exciting range of exhibitions for our domestic audiences and look forward to announcing these as soon as they are confirmed.”

In 2020 Auckland Museum will be open a new and museum orientation and hospitality zone, announce a pipeline of special exhibitions, launch a new Museum Membership offering, provide innovative new public and educational programmes, and in the first half of 2021 will open the new gallery suite Tāmaki Herenga Waka, Stories of Auckland.

This world-class exhibition from the British Museum will be well worth the wait. It is now scheduled for 2022, following touring to Canberra and Perth.

Further details to be announced, sign up to our What’s On email for updates.

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