Rongomaraeroa, Maori meeting ground at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand.

Rongomaraeroa sits on the fourth floor of Te Papa Museum and is a modern meeting place featuring a gathering house called Te Hono ki Hawaiki that overlooks Wellington harbor. The space has its own separate entrances, allowing people to visit this area apart from the rest of the museum exhibitions.

Master carver Cliff Whiting oversaw its construction, and the space opened in 1997 as part of Te Papa Museum's commitment to Maori cultural needs. Its completion marked an important moment in creating a dedicated space for ceremonies and gatherings.

The name Rongomaraeroa refers to Rongo, the god of kūmara and cultivated food, while Te Hono ki Hawaiki recalls the ancestral Polynesian homeland. The marae follows its own Te Papa kawa (protocols) rather than those of the local iwi Te Āti Awa, and it can be hired for private and commercial events.

Use the separate entrances to reach the space without walking through other museum areas. Check ahead to see if special events are happening, as these may affect regular access.

Cliff Whiting carved the wharenui's figures from medium-density fibreboard rather than rare native timber, which let him cut the three-dimensional shapes he wanted. A triptych shrine inside holds a Christian dove, placed so that European visitors could relate to the house as well as Māori. The maihi carry the story of Māui slowing the sun.