Wellington’s Te Papa Museum has extended its Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War exhibition for another seven years, keeping it open until April 2032.
Originally planned to last only four years, the exhibition has already been extended twice since opening in 2015. The display features ultra-realistic, larger-than-life statues of seven World War I soldiers and a nurse, created by Wētā Workshop.
Te Papa’s chief executive, Courtney Johnston, said public interest in the exhibition remains strong. “The success of Gallipoli has been more than anyone could have ever expected,” she told RNZ. The museum expects to reach five million visitors this year, making it one of New Zealand’s most successful exhibitions.
Wētā Workshop’s co-founder, Sir Richard Taylor, said the project was deeply meaningful. “We wanted to honour those who served and sacrificed so much,” he said.
The exhibition will temporarily close for maintenance from July 21 to September 12, 2025. When it reopens, visitors can book a new guided tour, available twice daily from August 4. Additionally, guests visiting between May 1 and November 30 will have a chance to win an 11-day trip to Türkiye, valued at $15,000.
