Documentation and Artefacts

Housed in Wellington, the Documentation Collection encompasses a wealth of printed and manuscript items relating to Aotearoa’s film and television production and reception history, including:

• More than 17,000 stills and photographs
• More than 2,000 posters
• 30 cabinets of publicity files (on subjects such as actors, censorship, TV networks, cinema-going, funding, advertising, video art, and tourism)
• 1,000 scripts
• Private papers, scrapbooks and manuscripts
• Animation cels
• Ephemera
• Paintings and graphic design
• Glass slide cinema advertising
• Magic lantern slides from the pre-cinema era

The collection also contains artefacts, such as film and television props, costumes, television sets, cameras, microphones, radios, and projection technologies from across the ages.

As well as the film and television material, the archive also holds a set of photographs, memorabilia and documents relating to the history of radio in New Zealand. 

Current status of the Documentation Collection

The Documentation Collection is currently closed for access until further notice. Please contact us with any questions.

Special Collections

Learn more about Special Collections within the Documentation and Artefacts Collection.