Description:

Located in the heart of Kirikiroa Hamilton, Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery (formerly Waikato Museum) plays a vital role in celebrating the region’s cultural, artistic, and scientific heritage. With major renovations underway, it was timely to reassess both the physical space and brand identity.
The former brand no longer reflected the Museum’s scale or dual role as both museum and gallery. Exhibitions lacked cohesion, and the absence of a unified identity led to a fragmented visitor experience.
The brief called for a brand that could unify the institution, reflect its bicultural foundations, and position it as a cultural destination of regional and national significance. Central to this was the new name—Te Whare Taonga o Waikato—anchored in the concept of taonga, symbolising the protection and sharing of the region’s treasures.
The rebrand embraces duality: museum and gallery, past and future, and its commitment under te Tiriti o Waitangi. The new icon—two abstracted hands forming a clasp—represents guardianship. Four lines in each half reference the Museum’s core collections: tangata whenua, art, history, and science. At the centre is Te Awa (the Waikato River), and a detailed version includes 33 threads for the 33 hapū of Tainui.
A bold wordmark leads with the Māori name, reinstating “gallery” to clarify the institution’s scope. The graphic system uses a circle—drawn from the icon—as a flexible foundation across all visual applications.
The result is a cohesive, contemporary identity that strengthens connection, supports clarity, and honours the Museum’s role as a cultural guardian—past, present, and future.

Image credits: Image 1 – Left to Right – Escape from Fire
Pat Hanly, 1984, Collection of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Ornament, Figurine
Maker Unknown, Waikato Historical Society Collection, Courtesy of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Wheku - Harikoa Ki Te Tai Tonga
Lissy & Rudi, Robinson-Cole, 2023, Collection of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Kauri gum (Agathis Australis), Collection of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Easter Egmont
Michael Duncan Smither, 1980, Barry Hopkins Art Trust,
Courtesy of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato. Image 4 – Auckland Volcanoes Rained On, Mary McIntyre, 2011, Barry Hopkins Art Trust Courtesy of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato. Image 5 - Hei tiki / Greenstone Pendant (Hauraki)
Maker Unknown, 1820-1850, Trust Waikato Art and Taonga Collection. Image 6 – Wellington Street Beach, Hamilton East
David Cook, 1994, Commissioned Photograph by David Cook:
Collection of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, Escape from Fire
Pat Hanly, 1984, Collection of Te Whare Taonga o Waikato.