On the day that the Whales | Tohora exhibition closed at Te Papa Tongarewa - the National Museum of New Zealand - a pod of killer whales could be seen frolicking outside in Oriental Bay. Many believe it was a sign, a blessing or even a thank you from the monolithic mammals of the ocean.

As one of 140,000 people who visited the Whales | Tohora exhibition during its five month showing, I spent hours learning, marvelling and even crying at the plight of the beautiful sea creatures. I touched a whale's rib, crawled inside a replica Blue Whale heart and regrettably smelt something called ambergris, which forms in Sperm Whales' intestines.

And that - smelly ambergris and all - is the beauty of Te Papa: you can come back again and again and always find something new. It's like a multi-storey wonderland of surprises lurking delightfully amongst old, reliable friends.

Since opening in 1998, Te Papa Tongarewa has welcomed 14.5 million visitors from around the world. Some come in excited, raucous school groups to learn from the four Discovery Centres. Others come for the brilliant touring and international exhibitions like Lord of the Rings, The Exhibition; Splendours of Japan, Treasures from the Tokyo National Museum; and Egypt Beyond the Tomb. There are the families that come to while away weekends with interactive attractions. And there are people like me who come, well, just because it's Te Papa, 'Our Place', our national museum, and an integral part of any visit to Wellington.

On this, my third visit, I uncovered a video of copulating kakapo, an interactive make-your-own music mixing booth and the disturbing fact that 800 million plastic bags are used every year in New Zealand.

I watched past and future merge in a holograph show about the arrival of Pacific people in New Zealand. I learned phrases of Te Reo Maori from a touch screen display. I listened to a 1,000 year old dawn chorus and wound my way to the top of the museum where I inspected a green VW kombi van parked on the roof (part of Michael Parekowhai's installation: The Big O.E.).

No longer the domains of stuffy academics sporting tweed jackets, New Zealand's museums are now spaces of constant change and, often, technologically advanced interactivity. And Te Papa is leading the charge. "Every six months we change a section of the museum," says Te Papa's Tourism Marketing Manager Bridget MacDonald.

The next big change at the museum will see the removal of the popular four year old interactive exhibition The Time Warp to make way for the ultimate interactive multi-media experience: Our Space. Our Space is set to open on September 27, 2008 and will incorporate two interactive sectors - The Hall and The Wall as well as two motion simulator rides - The Deep and The Ride.

The Hall will feature a 14 metre long satellite map of New Zealand sprawled across the floor. Visitors' presence on the map will trigger screens which will light up from behind mirror glass walls, emitting media sequences combined with lighting and sound effects.

At The Wall, visitors use touch screens to select images and other media from the Wall's database (supplied in part by the public). From there, they use a hand-held controller to crop, rotate, 'draw' on and loop existing media, crafting their own mural, story or composition on the 18 metre long projection wall.

The Ride will take visitors on an action adventure journey through New Zealand's ultimate adventure sports and breathtaking scenery, whilst The Deep will delve into an underwater exploration of New Zealand and the Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve.

In stark contrast to the modernity of Our Space is the museum's historic Iwi Gallery. Another ever-evolving space, the Iwi Gallery is co-curated by local Maori iwi (tribes) on a revolving basis.

"Every three and a half years a different iwi will take over the Iwi Gallery," explains Bridget.

"Te Papa works with that iwi to develop a story for display. The iwi run the marae here and their kaumatua are part of Te Papa for that entire period of time."

The Iwi Gallery, the striking Treaty of Waitangi exhibition Signs of a Nation and the spectacular central Maori meeting house, Rongomaraeroa, form a core part of Te Papa's purpose: 'To strengthen national identity and uphold principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

By the time I find my way back down to the ground floor entrance there is no doubt that my national identity is seriously bolstered. And I find myself wondering what the next visit to Te Papa will unearth...

Amelia visited Te Papa courtesy of Positively Wellington Tourism and www.fourcorners.co.nz.

Amelia is Content Editor for the New Zealand travel and tourism website www.fourcorners.co.nz.