item details
Overview
This photograph of Kellie Tapuae working at Te Papa was taken during the first Covid-19 pandemic lockdown when New Zealand was in Alert Level 4 (11.59pm on 25 March to 11.59pm on 27 April 2020). It was one of several scenes captured by Te Papa photographers of the museum during this period.
Te Papa closed its doors on 20 March and reopened in stages on 28 May 2020. Most of the staff worked from home during this period, but some needed to be present to care for the building and collections. In this photograph, Tapuae is cleaning the empty foyer of Te Papa which is normally a bustling place full of visitors. One year later, Tapuae noted: 'adjusting to Covid-19 has been a challenge for us all. I am grateful that I can continue doing the job I love'.