Peter Bush Photography

10/02/2026

A Legend’s Legacy: “Out in the Field” is Now Open

Peter Bush (1930–2023) was more than a photographer; he was a witness to our history. With a career spanning from the 1940s to the 2020s, he had an insatiable drive to record the world. Now, for the first time, Te Manawa Museum is inviting you to step into his world.

When Peter’s archive of over 300,000 photographs arrived at Te Manawa, the team discovered something wonderful: the collection is a beautifully unpredictable journey.

Opening a box labelled "Rugby" might reveal a legendary All Black try—but right next to it, you might find a 1990s camping trip, a local horse race, or a candid shot of a Prime Minister. Peter didn't just follow the ball; he followed the story, wherever it led.

What’s Waiting For You:

- The Big Moments: Iconic shots of rugby glory, royal visits, and the protest movements that shaped Aotearoa.

- The Hidden Gems: Rare physical prints displayed on unique shelving, alongside digital displays that allow Te Manawa to keep "uncovering" new photos from the 300k+ archive.

- Four Iconic Themes: New Zealand landscapes, social history, rugby, and Bushy’s own life story.

Te Manawa has designed this exhibition to mirror Peter’s own sense of adventure. It's aimed to make visitors wander, discover, and make their own connections with the images that defined our nation.

📍 Location: Te Manawa Museum, Palmerston North

Peter’s lens was always "Out in the Field." Now, Te Manawa invites you to join him there. Watch this space as Te Manawa continues to uncover more from this incredible collection! 🇳🇿📸


Rachel Bush Jonathan Mayo

27/01/2026

Governors Bay is a delightful hideaway near Lyttelton, and the Otoromiro Hotel is a historic pub on the hillside. We popped in for lunch and found a pic of Pete's on the wall. Purchased by publican, Jeremy Dyer, when Bushy's Hard on the Heels exhibition came to Christchurch. GB local Mike Cron and Jason Ryan happened to be in the corner having lunch. Mike was on the bench during that muddy game!

04/12/2025

Ran into the great Sir Michael Jones, a favourite player of Peter Bush, and talented film maker Bailey Mackey. Sir Michael said how great that Bushy’s photographic work ‘a taonga’ found a home at Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science & Heritage

16/10/2025

Remembering Pete today on what would have been his 95th birthday. Photographed here in the early 70s with daughter Rachel, on one of their many tramping adventures.

16/10/2025

RIP Jim Bolger (1935 – 2025). Not sure when this was snapped, but here he is with Pete on some official occasion in the 90s, no doubt.

23/09/2025

With the Aussies in town this week, we have unearthed some random shots from Pete's archive. The first one shows the Wallabies celebrating winning the Bledisloe Cup, in 1979. And the next, shows the Aussie Sevens team triumphant at the 1983 Hong Kong Sevens. That's enough Aussie celebration, thank you very much.

03/09/2025

https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360809243/kiwi-photographers-show-alongside-worlds-best-photojournalism

The images by Kiwi photographers who have chronicled life in the capital and beyond are on display at Tākina from Friday along with the best of this year’s international photos at the World Press Photo Exhibition.

24/08/2025

Peter Bush Archive Update

We wanted to share some exciting progress from the Peter Bush archive project.

Thanks to the incredible work by the team at Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science & Heritage, the archive has grown far beyond initial expectations. We now estimate there are around 750,000 individual images, mostly negatives, documenting decades of Peter’s photographic legacy.

Over 2,000 items are now available online — many of these are group records, meaning the actual number of photos is even higher.

Around 75% of these records include images, and scanning continues every week.

The team is currently processing 50–100 groups per week, using a mix of high-resolution and contact sheet-style scanning to make the archive accessible faster.

The new website https://www.peterbush.co.nz/explore allows visitors to comment on images, helping us identify people and places — so if you spot someone or something familiar, please let us know!

Te Manawa posts an internal blog highlighting interesting finds in the collection every week, a series which may soon become a public blog.

Here’s a sneak peek:

Bushy of the Week: Milkmaid Milk

A charming 1950s photo from Malaysia, showing a shop advertising Milkmaid Milk — still sold today! This gem was found in a packet of negatives from Peter’s time covering the Malayan Emergency.

08/06/2025

Stu Wilson (1954-2025). The original entertainer. A couple of classic shots of Pete's that capture his impish spirit and his ball-carrying prowess. RIP. Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science & Heritage

01/05/2025

A dressing room shot from Pete. Greg Cornelsen (left) and Peter Horton all smiles celebrating Cornelsen's four tries and a 30-16 win against NZ in 1978 at Eden Park. The only Wallaby forward to score four tries in a test. Must also be the most tries scored against the All Blacks in one Test by a forward?

29/04/2025

Some street shots of San Francisco taken while Pete was on tour with the ABs in 1980.

21/04/2025

More sorting...Jack's dug up some shots of Pete from down the years.