Polish Heritage Trust Museum in Howick, New Zealand

Polish Heritage Trust Museum in Howick, New Zealand Official page for Polish Heritage Trust of NZ. PHTM, a museum for all New Zealanders & overseas visitors. Open other times by arrangement

Visiting Us:
PHTM is situated in Howick, East Auckland, New Zealand. We are near the intersection of Elliot and Moore Streets. The white and red Polish Flag will be flying to welcome you next to the museum building. The Museum consists of two levels, the Upper and Lower Galleries. The Lower Gallery also contains the PHT Library and has facilities to screen movies and documentaries (up to 50 visit

ors) and houses part of the museum collection, but the main collection is in the Upper Gallery. We do not have a lift but you have to deal with only a dozen stairs. Free parking is available in the Museum grounds. Buses can also park in this area. Group Bookings and Individual Visitors:
The Museum welcomes individual visitors and group bookings. Please enquire about 'Adult group bookings' for more details. We also host school, home educators and language school groups, so please enquire about the 'Stefania for Schools' Programme. Admission prices:
• Individual visitors: by donation.
• Group bookings/workshops/classes: by arranged entry fee
Workshops/classes and educational programmes:
There are also workshops/classes and educational programmes designed for adults, children and families. Sunday Programme:
Please contact us for the latest Sunday event, this is an ever changing programme and includes family days to celebrate Easter and Christmas, workshops in traditional paper craft called Wycinanki, plus the Sunday Winter Film programme. Most events start at 2pm. Please check for latest activities. HOURS: We are open Tues to Friday and Sunday afternoon, we offer 'after hours visits' as well but these need to be arranged prior to the visit. PHTM is a registered charitable trust (CC29274).

Lots to share in this visit by a son and daughter of Polish Air Force and RAF Squadron Leader, Wlodzimierz Karwowski. He...
21/06/2026

Lots to share in this visit by a son and daughter of Polish Air Force and RAF Squadron Leader, Wlodzimierz Karwowski. He flew in the 302, 306 and 316 Squadrons. After WW2, Wlodzimierz emigrated to NZ with his wife whose forbears worked the timber mill in Hinge Bay at Huia in the Waitakere Ranges in the 19th and 20th Centuries.
Adam is a glider pilot and has competed in Poland. His older brother is a stunt pilot and flew for RAF and RNZAF.
Many thanks to Alex Roy-Wojciechowski for coming in to the museum and sharing his wealth of knowledge about the Polish Air Force with these very appreciative visitors.
Photos: Alex with family of Wlodzimierz Karwowski at PHTM, June 2026 ; Wlodzimierz Karwowski PAF RAF (WW2)

Mystery Photographer - Kevin RileyWow - many thanks to an Irish-Kiwi woman and her son who saved approx. 100 of these mo...
17/06/2026

Mystery Photographer - Kevin Riley
Wow - many thanks to an Irish-Kiwi woman and her son who saved approx. 100 of these mounted photographs, taken by Kevin Riley on the streets of Krakow in 1992.
Deb and her son found them in a dusty box in an Op shop and have much enjoyed looking at them, but wanted to pass them on to the Polish community in Auckland.
The Polish Museum here in Howick was contacted by Auckland Polish Association - Polonia Auckland to see if we would be interested - and here they are, hand-delivered all the way from Kaiwaka.
Deb and her son have tried unsuccessfully to find any trace of the photographer, Kevin Riley, so if anyone in the community has any idea, please let us know and we will add it to the catalogue.
The black and white images may have been part of an exhibition as they are mounted on foam board, with each numbered in pencil on the obverse left corner.
Auckland Festival of Photography - any ideas ???
Images Source: PHTM #4058 Photographs mounted, Kevin Riley, Krakow 1992

We had a delightful return visit from two Polish gentlemen recently, this time to view the 'Polish Folk Dance' images as...
15/06/2026

We had a delightful return visit from two Polish gentlemen recently, this time to view the 'Polish Folk Dance' images as part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. Having lived in New Zealand for many years, and no longer dancing, they became very nostalgic seeing these beautiful photos and other items in the museum collection, chattering away happily in Polish and English.
This exhibition will continue to be available to be viewed by request, as are most of the past digital exhibitions and some printed ones at the Polish Museum in Howick.
Image Source: PHTM staff

Kind words of appreciation from a visitor who brought her American friends to see the Polish Museum in Howick: ‘Thank yo...
07/06/2026

Kind words of appreciation from a visitor who brought her American friends to see the Polish Museum in Howick:
‘Thank you for the time you spent to show us around the museum. It was especially nice to see the library. I had no idea your library of Polish books was so extensive. It took me back to my childhood. The museum is a wonderful asset for the Polish community and New Zealand’s history. I hope it remains for some time to come.’ (KR)
Image: PHTM Library

Boże Ciało in Poland. Corpus Christi is celebrated in June. It is a public holiday celebrating Holy Communion on the eig...
04/06/2026

Boże Ciało in Poland.
Corpus Christi is celebrated in June. It is a public holiday celebrating Holy Communion on the eighth Thursday after Easter in the Catholic Church. People in bright costumes and religious garments join in processions from each parish, scattering flowers to welcome Jesus who is believed to walk the streets during this festival. Often children take Holy Communion for the first time at age nine as part of the observance.
The first Boże Ciało ceremony was held in Krakow in 1320 when a nun, Juliana of Liège, received a vision to embrace such a celebration. It was declared a national celebration in Poland in 1420. In the 15th Century, it was also developed by some into a folk holiday heralding summer with greenery to ward off evil and to ensure an abundant harvest.
Image source: Catalogue #424-4 Poland’s living folk culture page 39, Parma Press (2004)

School holiday craft workshops - alternatively, to book your group's own time, please contact PHTM - details below.
03/06/2026

School holiday craft workshops - alternatively, to book your group's own time, please contact PHTM - details below.

Kind words of appreciation from Polish Embassy in Wellington Cultural Attache, Pani Monika Mizgier-Blaszczak who visited...
02/06/2026

Kind words of appreciation from Polish Embassy in Wellington Cultural Attache, Pani Monika Mizgier-Blaszczak who visited recently.
She wrote, ‘For a Pole, the Museum’s collection is like a cozy blanket, for a brief moment it takes one all the way home. But it is also a treasure chest full of gems, with each item providing a little snapshot of Poland, Poland’s history and the history of Polish-New Zealand links, including that of the Polish Children of Pahiatua. You are doing a wonderful job bringing Poland and all things Polish closer to those who visit the Museum, and we are most grateful for that! And yes, the artworks by Lindy Fisher are stunning.’
Photo Source: PHTM displays

Polish Uhlans Cavalry Regiment. History, horses, and respect for the forest were the motto of this year's meeting, dedic...
02/06/2026

Polish Uhlans Cavalry Regiment. History, horses, and respect for the forest were the motto of this year's meeting, dedicated to the memory of the 1st Krechowiecki Uhlan Regiment!

Why AI-generated images can't be called photographs, will there be any archives left behind, how photography is changing...
02/06/2026

Why AI-generated images can't be called photographs, will there be any archives left behind, how photography is changing in the age of social media, when taking photos is ethical and when it isn't – these are universal topics that concern documentary photographers regardless of geographical location. 📸
These were raised during a debate organized by the Auckland Festival of Photography by an international group consisting of Jason Dorday (New Zealand), Hideko Kataoka (Japan), Shen Chao Liang (Taiwan), and Grzegorz Dąbrowski of the Widok Cultural Education Association (Poland). The meeting was moderated by Janette Dalley.
Photo: Rafał Siderski

Kazakhstan - a large area of Asiatic Russian steppe where the victims of deportation were forcibly sent or passed throug...
01/06/2026

Kazakhstan - a large area of Asiatic Russian steppe where the victims of deportation were forcibly sent or passed through, including Poles and other nationalities. See more below 😥

Address

125 Elliot Street, Howick
Auckland
2014

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+64 9 533 3530

Website

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