The University of Waikato's free lecture series in Tauranga focused on the meaning of museums in today's society concludes tonight with guest speaker Te Taru White.

He is speaking at the Bongard Centre from 6.30pm on the topic of: ‘From Te Papa to Te Te Puia – A Cultural Journey of Healing and Reconciliation'.

Te Taru White.

The series about museums and cultural institutions has focused on how they are powerful places where history and memory are housed and shaped.

Te Taru White's presentation will focus on his journey as the cultural leader and CEO of two of New Zealand's leading cultural Institutions – the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa) and the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute (Te Puia).

Both are nationally and internationally renowned as leaders in their field in seeking cultural reconciliation, Te Papa as a bicultural Museum and Te Puia with a clear mandate of presenting and preserving the arts, crafts and culture of Maori.

The values and practices of both of these institutions while remaning work in progress, has gone a long way to reposition Maori people and their culture as a fundamental and important part of Aotearoa New Zealand's history, present and future.