Culture and Society

Pre-1840 contact

What was the state of relations between Maori and Europeans in the unstable years before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed?

Holidays and events

Explore the background to the holidays and anniversaries that stand out on today's calendar and those that loomed large in times past.

Transport

A transport revolution, spearheaded by shipping and railways, has transformed New Zealand over the past 150 years.

Health and welfare

The achievement of better health care and more affordable housing for New Zealanders has not come without sacrifice and often painful struggle.

Crime and punishment

Discover how the New Zealand justice system has dealt with some of its most notorious criminals, and how it has, at times, dished out the ultimate penalty.

Immigration

Read, watch and listen to stories of European immigration out to New Zealand over two centuries.

Lifestyle

Why do the ways New Zealanders eat, play, exercise and dress provide colourful and important cultural markers?

Places

While many New Zealand communities have thrived, others have become ghost towns, victims of changing economic and social forces.