Colonial Museum

This is an exterior view of the Colonial Museum, built in 1865, on Museum Street. Extensions were later added as its staff and exhibits grew. On the street front, with high arched windows, are the museum's offices. To the right is the cottage of the Museum Director, Sir James Hector, where he lived with his family until 1882. The museum's exhibition hall is tucked in between the offices and the cottage.

The photographer, James Bragge, took many photographs of Wellington and its environs. Bragge specialised in photographing from the same spot several times over several years, which makes it possible to trace the development of the city. Te Papa has a large selection of Bragge's negatives, as well as his famous and rare album of photographs Wellington to the Wairarapa.