Film reel on briefcase

Whakaputua mai Deposit with us

Find out more about depositing material with Ngā Taonga. Kick-start the process by filling out the Collection offer webform.

Ngā Taonga collects audiovisual material that has cultural, social or historical value to Aotearoa New Zealand. We collect a range of moving image and audio formats.

We are now beginning to add new material to our collection again after our recent deposit hiatus.

We will be gradually processing the collection offers we have received during the collecting hiatus.

If you have submitted an offer, we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can. We ask for your understanding as we have received a substantial amount of offers during this period.

See what we collect for more information about our collecting acquisition goals and services for depositors.

If you hold material that falls within this criteria and would like to offer it to Ngā Taonga, please complete a collection offer form below.

Our specialists will contact you to discuss your offer and advise you whether your material meets our selection and acquisition criteria. We will respond to your request within 10 working days.

Collection offer form

If you are depositing material funded by Te Māngai Pāho, please email tmpdeposits@ngataonga.org.nz for a Collection Offer Form instead of filling out this web form.

Please tell us about the material you would like to offer.

Depositing FAQs

Is it free to deposit with Ngā Taonga?

Yes. We provide collection management services and climate-controlled storage free of charge. However, we ask depositors to cover transport costs for delivering material to us and returning material we do not select, or later deselect from our collection. If your material has been digitally preserved, we can supply you copies at no cost, but preservation on demand is charged as per our pricing guide.

Can I just drop off my material at the front desk?

Please do not deliver material without prior arrangements. We cannot accept unsolicited items. They must be collected promptly, or they will be disposed of. All proposed deposits must go through a selection and approval process. After receiving a Collection offer form, we will review your offer and contact you to advise whether the items meet our selection and acquisition criteria.

Can I get back material I deposit?

Yes. Ngā Taonga provides an archival service for your material but you remain the owner. You can withdraw your material at any time, either temporarily or permanently. Please let us know in advance (at least 4 weeks) to allow sufficient time to retrieve your material from offsite vaults and for condition reports to be prepared for all items.

Will Ngā Taonga digitise my material?

We endeavour to digitally preserve our collection to make our audiovisual taonga more accessible, now and for future generations. However, digital preservation is resource-intensive, and we cannot guarantee your material will be digitised within a certain timeframe. If you want your material digitised by a deadline, we offer preservation on demand services (see our pricing guide for more details), or you can temporarily withdraw the material to have it preserved by a commercial provider. See more advice here.

What is a Deposit agreement?

The Deposit agreement is a legal document that confirms the terms by which Ngā Taonga will care for your material. After receiving a Collection offer form an archivist will confirm if your offer fits our selection criteria, we will then be in touch to draft a Deposit agreement with you. This includes documenting your contact details, assessing whether the material includes mātauranga Māori, identifying kaitiaki and copyright holders and agreeing appropriate access conditions. After we have completed a Deposit agreement, we will contact you to coordinate delivery of your material.

Can other people access my material?

Only with your permission. Our goal is to provide New Zealanders access to audiovisual taonga. However, we also understand some taonga may need access restrictions for reasons such as licensing embargos or cultural conditions. Therefore, our Deposit Agreement includes a grant of rights, where you can tell us what access is appropriate for your material, including conditions relating to Ngā Taonga sharing the material (such as in our online collection) and third-party use (such as a documentary-maker re-using your footage).