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Puke Ariki’s New Exhibition Reveals the Forces Beneath Our Feet

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PUBLISHED: 29 AUG 2025
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NPDC’s Puke Ariki Museum has unveiled its latest exhibition this week, which takes a deeper look at the unique geological forces that have shaped the Taranaki region.

Presented in partnership with Taranaki Regional Council, Whakarūaumoko: Active Earth is an exploration of how Taranaki’s unique geology connects to ancestral knowledge, colonial history, and modern innovation through local stories and global forces.

The exhibition expands the natural history focus of the Taranaki Naturally gallery by digging deeper into the geological forces that shape the region. Visitors can have a hands-on experience to learn about three major rock types, discover how they form, and explore their influence on everything from Māori tool-making to modern industry.

“While Taranaki Naturally celebrates the region’s biodiversity, from wetlands and coastal reefs to native species Tamanui the kōkako and the iconic Taranaki Maunga, this new section reveals the powerful earth processes that lie beneath it all,” says NPDC’s Puke Ariki Collection and Curatorial Lead Lucy Macfarlane.

She says the exhibition blends science with local storytelling, complementing the ecological narratives already present in the gallery, bringing the space to life.

“Together, these sections offer a fuller picture of Taranaki’s natural world, from the living landscape above to the powerful geological forces below.”

Find out more about Whakarūaumoko: Active Earth on Puke Ariki’s website.

 

Puke Ariki Fast Facts

  • Puke Ariki, meaning Hill of Chiefs, stands on a former prominent Pā site in central New Plymouth, and opened as a combined library and museum.
  • It opened in 2003 as a combined library and museum – an innovative storehouse for Taranaki’s taonga and stories.
  • The museum presents both long-term and regularly changing exhibitions across six gallery spaces.
  • The central and community libraries offer many events designed to foster a love of reading, learning and connection.
  • Puke Ariki also houses a research centre, restaurant and café, and the district’s isite visitor information and ticketing hub.

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Page last updated: 11:04am Fri 29 August 2025

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