Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand

The Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand (LAGANZ) collection is housed in the Alexander Turnbull Library within the National Library building in Wellington. The collection is managed in association with a community trust.

The Archive collects, preserves and makes available records of historical and cultural interest. It aims to reflect the diversity of the New Zealand lesbian, gay and takatāpui communities.

The Archive includes over 600 manuscript collections from organisations and individuals, several thousand books and hundreds of serial titles from all over the world. It also holds a wide range of ephemera such as posters, flyers and buttons, as well as sound and video recordings.

Some areas of common research interest are:

• the gay liberation movement
• lesbian feminism
• sexual law reform
• human rights and discrimination
• sexuality / sexual orientation
• HIV / AIDS
• censorship.

Contact the curators if you would like to donate material to the LAGANZ collection.

Access items in this collection

The LAGANZ website lists the manuscripts and serials collections. The website also gives access to sound recordings about the campaign for homosexual law reform in 1985 - 1986 through an Audio Database.

You’ll need to get permission to visit the collection, and some material may also have special access conditions.

When you visit us you can use a card catalogue and inventories to search the collection. Most material is made available in the Manuscripts reading room on the first floor, 9am-5pm, weekdays.

LAGANZ website

Audio Database - LAGANZ website

Get copies from items in this collection

Copies can be made from items in this collection if copying doesn’t breach copyright. You can order photocopies of some items but original versions may not be borrowed.

More about making copies

More about copyright and usage

Get help

We can answer your enquiries in person, by letter, phone or email. Research services are provided by a small group of lesbian and gay staff. Contact us to make an appointment before visiting the collection.