Te Toi Uku - Crown Lynn & Clayworks Museum

26/07/2026

We had such a great time chatting with Anna Thomas from RNZ's Culture 101, sharing the Crown Lynn story and the reopening of our beautifully restored Ambrico Kiln.

It's always a pleasure to talk about this history with people who enjoy it as much as we do. Ngā mihi to Anna and the Culture 101 team for having us!

https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/culture/te-toi-uku-crown-lynn-museum-reopens-last-brickworks-kiln-in-auckland

If you haven't been in yet, now's the perfect time, the kiln is currently home to a wonderful exhibition of ceramics by John Parker, on display inside the newly restored space.

We're open:
Wednesday–Friday, 10am–4pm
Saturday, 10am–3pm

Museum director Louise Stevenson gives a tour of some iconic pieces.

26/07/2026

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Ev Williams.

Ev has been a hugely generous supporter of Te Toi Uku and the Portage Ceramics Trust from our very beginning. Her contribution to the study and research of Crown Lynn and New Zealand commercial and studio pottery is formidable. Ev, a potter herself, was the creator of the New Zealand Pottery website newzealandpottery.net and generous contributor to the online pottery community. For decades Ev has helped collectors, researchers, enthusiasts and the simply curious to identify and understand their pieces — and always with an encyclopaedic depth of knowledge, and always astonishingly quickly.

Her expertise in Crown Lynn crockery and New Zealand ceramics was extraordinary. She was a meticulous researcher, spending hours investigating our archives and in identifying and accurately describing pieces in our collection, her passion for her subject was unwavering. Ev’s enthusiasm was infectious, and we will dearly miss working with her.

We are indebted to Ev for her contribution to our knowledge and understanding of Crown Lynn at Te Toi Uku and we acknowledge her monumental contribution to the wider Crown Lynn and ceramics community over her lifetime. Her research lives on through the New Zealand Pottery website and the communities she built — a lasting taonga for anyone discovering this history.

Ka aroha ki te whānau pani. Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family and loved ones at this time. She will be sorely missed by us all. Travel well Ev.

24/07/2026

On now! How stunning do John Parker's ceramics look set inside the Ambrico kiln...

Come and experience John's spectacular ceramics displayed within this unique heritage space. Visit us at the Museum to discover more!

This exhibition is on until the 3rd of October, and is open to view Wed-Fri 10-4pm, & Sat 10-3pm.

23/07/2026

Spend a relaxing and creative morning at Te Toi Uku – Crown Lynn & Clay Museum and join experienced ceramicist and teacher Richard Paul Naylor as he guides you through the process of making two special handmade cups.

Using traditional Japanese pottery techniques, you'll learn simple, sculptural methods that celebrate slow, mindful, and intentional making. Your cups will be bisque-fired, glazed, and fired again, and will be ready for collection approximately four weeks after the workshop.

Saturday 15 August 2026
10am – 12.30pm
Te Toi Uku – Crown Lynn & Clay Museum
8 Ambrico Place, New Lynn
$120 per person

Spaces are strictly limited and bookings are essential. Please email [email protected] with any queries or to book your spot.

Ngā mihi nui to the Whau Local Board for their support of Te Toi Uku.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1bLxEsZCYT/

22/07/2026

Have your say on the draft Local Board Plans. Submissions close tomorrow (Thursday 23 July) at midnight.

"Not everything can be a priority. That's why Auckland's 21 local boards are asking people what matters most in their neighbourhoods as they plan for the next three years."

16/07/2026

These school holidays we have some very special objects on display...

Made by New Lynn Primary School students, these miniature brick kilns are part of a collective art project 'Building Connections'. Lead by local artist Ekarasa Doblanovic, this project explores West Auckland's industrial clay history & also celebrates the Ambrico kiln's centennial anniversary.

These sculptures will be on display until Wednesday 22nd July. Visit us at the Museum to check out these fantastic creations!

Thank you to all the New Lynn Primary students who took part, and to the Creative Communities Scheme for making this project possible!

Read more about artist Ekarasa Doblanovic...

Ekarasa Doblanovic is a West Auckland based artist. She holds a Master of Visual Arts with Honours from Auckland University of Technology (2014).

Her practice spans installation, painting, and socially engaged participatory work grounded in ecological materiality, collaboration, and environmental inquiry.

Since 2010, she has developed soil-based participatory installations nationally and internationally, including finalist works at the Arte Laguna Prize in Venice and large-scale installations at MACRO ASILO - Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome. Her work explores environmental processes, impermanence, and relationships between people, materials, and ecological systems.

She has led major educational programmes including Ministry of Education Creatives in Schools, delivering eco-art projects to over 10,000 children across Aotearoa New Zealand, and has collaborated with the University of Auckland's Soil Science project SoilSafe Aotearoa, integrating scientific research with artistic practice.

Her work spans intergenerational and place-based learning in New Zealand, Australia, and Italy, including schools, retirement communities, and public institutions. She has also contributed to educational programmes at the Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Italy focused on ecological awareness and participatory methodologies.

She is an ambassador of Michelangelo Pistoletto's Third Paradise Project, engaging with international initiatives linking art, sustainability, and social responsibility.

Her practice uses observation of natural and cultural environments to explore the sensory and symbolic dimensions of matter, developing collaborative approaches that connect art, science, and community engagement.

15/07/2026

Kia ora all,

If you are planning on visiting us this Saturday, we want to let you know that we are hosting a workshop in the Museum from 11-2pm.

This means Te Toi Uku will be quite busy during that time. If you are planning a quiet museum visit, pop in between 10-11am or 2-3pm.

Please get in touch if you have any queries! Ngā mihi nui, Te Toi Uku team.

15/07/2026

Yesterday we had a blast making Matariki Seed Stars out of air-dry clay!

These clay stars are sprinkled with sunflower, marigold, and wildflower seeds - once planted in soil, the seeds will begin to germinate and the flowers should be in full-bloom this Spring. This workshop was so much fun and a wonderful way to celebrate Matariki! Thank you to everyone who came along.

A huge thank you to the New Lynn War Memorial Library (New Lynn) for hosting this workshop, and to Rose - the Seed Librarian! Thanks also to Helen Brosnan for making this morning possible.

We can't wait to see photos of all the lovely flowers in a couple of months time! 💐🌸🌼🌷

09/07/2026

Mānawatia a Matariki!

Te Toi Uku is closed today and tomorrow (Saturday 11th) for Matariki. We wish you all a restful weekend spent with your loved ones. Te Toi Uku will be back open from next Wednesday.

Ngā mihi nui. ⭐️

09/07/2026

What a wonderful day celebrating the Ambrico kiln's centennial anniversary and official reopening! This special event honoured the kiln's unique history, and all the people who have been involved in its preservation - past & present.

Ngā mihi nui to those who joined us in commemorating this moment, especially the members of the Gardner family whose ancestors built this kiln in 1926.

In further celebration of this milestone, an exhibition of ceramics by renowned Tāmaki Makaurau ceramicist, John Parker, has been installed inside the kiln. His pieces, viewed against the kiln's brick walls, have a wonderfully striking effect. The exhibition will be on until October 3rd, 2026.

A big thank you to Tyler Taua-Gordon, Robyn Mason, Kay Thomas, and Ross Clow for speaking. And to Tāmaki Oro Rau for welcoming us inside the kiln with beautiful Taonga Pūoro playing.

Ngā mihi to our wonderful volunteers for making this day possible!

The reopening of this historic kiln has been made possible by the generous support of the Whau Local Board and Auckland Council.

Te Toi Uku will be closed on Friday 10th & Saturday 11th for Matariki. The kiln will be open to the public from Wednesday 15th. We hope you will enjoy spending time in this unique space.