Te Papa's founding chief executive Dame Cheryll Sotheran has passed away.
Sotheran was appointed as the founding chief executive of the planned Te Papa in 1992 when the New Zealand National Museum and National Art Gallery merged.
Te Papa was said to be the largest museum construction project in the world of the 1990s.
"Dame Cheryll leaves an incredible legacy.
"Her spirit of innovation, of challenging the status quo, is part of Te Papa's DNA," said Te Papa chief executive Geraint Martin.