Tāoga Niue Museum

Following Cyclone Heta, between 5–10% of the museum collection was salvaged.^[10][3] Salvaged objects included those relating to Niue and the First World War, including photographs and a uniform,^[11] as well as examples of weaving from Niue.^[10] Objects that were lost included two fragments of Niuean throwing stones.^[12] Director of Taoga Niue, the governmental department overseeing cultural activities, Moira Enetama, described the situation as "not only a loss of material culture but a loss of belongingness, the ownership, the head and the intangible heritage of Niue".^[6]

In 2005 the museum also began to rebuild its collection, which now includes award-winning woven hats that were displayed in New Zealand.^[10] Museum staff also scavenged rubbish dumps across the island for objects that would help to rebuild the collection.^[6] One example were hand woven fishnets, the craft of which is no longer practiced in Niue.^[6] The museum also travelled to all areas of the islands buying objects from traditional artists.^[6] MP Va'aiga Tukuitonga recognised the urgency in updating the collection, as well as preserving cultural knowledge held in Niue, which has an aging population.^[6]

A significant amount of Niue's cultural and scientific heritage is held in collections overseas. One of the most common items in overseas collections are hiapo – traditional woven barkcloths specific to Niue.^[3]

Te Papa holds 291 objects from Niue: the earliest object in their collection is a Niuean maka (throwing stone), which was presented in 1869 by Rev. John Inglis.^[13] The British Museum's Niuean collection includes clubs, barkcloth, money, and other items.^[14] Perth Art Gallery in Scotland holds two wooden spears from Niue.^[15] Glasgow Museums holds a fishing line made from human hair, as well as model canoes and other objects.^[16] The Horniman Museum holds barkcloth, a noseflute, spears and other objects.^[17] The Australian Museum holds the type specimens for Niue's only endemic butterfly Nacaduba niueensis (Niue Blue).^[18]

From 2016, the museum expressed its intention to request the repatriation of objects that are held in overseas collections.^[5] In 2007 Auckland War Memorial Museum returned the skull of an islander that was in its collection to community representatives in Auckland.^[19] The remains were taken to a Niuean church, then subsequently re-buried in Niue.^[20][21][19]

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  Hea hea (Auckland Museum)
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  Micromelum minutum (Auckland Museum)
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  Photograph of woven house walls (Bishop Museum)
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  Orcovita gracilipes (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle)

• Island Cultural Archive Support: The New Niue Museum
• Auckland Museum: Master weaver keeps alive the spirit of Niue
• Te Papa: Objects from Niue in the museum collection