A broad definition of technology is anything that people have made.

Technologies are pieces of equipment or techniques for performing particular activities, such as computers for manipulating numbers or telephones for conveying messages over long distances. They help us to manage our environment.

Technologies from times gone past are showcased here beside more recent innovations. Many are simply old versions of technologies we use today. See if you can recognise them.

To find more examples of technologies, try searching for specific tools like the typewriter or printing press or search using terms like devices, machines or machinery.

Related links:

New Zealand inventions and technology – Auckland City Libraries website
Technology blog posts – Christchurch City Libraries blog

‘Buckeye’ ditcher and, below, ‘Side-boom crane’ tractor used by 18 Army Troops Company for laying the water pipeline in the Western Desert Buckeye ditcher and, below, Side-boom crane tractor used by 18 Army Troops Company for laying the water pipeline in the Western Desert 1961 Image from New Zealand Electronic Text Centre (WH2Engr-fig-WH2Eng28a) See description

Adze 1952 (donated) Object from Otago Museum (D52.872) See description

Jack Crippen Anti-tank gun, 1942 1942 Image from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga (AAAC 898 NCWA 587) See description

Blueprint of Beere's machinery 1922-1924 Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (MSO-Papers-7898-3) See description

Carol Canvin and Paul Anderson, of Data General New Zealand Ltd, operating computers at the Am-Tech business machines exhibition in Wellington - Photograph taken by Ian Mackley ca 24 Jul 1978 Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (EP/1978/2479/20-F) See description

Blow Churn Company, Manufacturer Churn, Butter 1930s-1940s? Object from Puke Ariki (PA2007.001) See description

Clymer and Dixon.(manufacturer(s)) Columbian printing press 1841 Object from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (T000412) See description

Niven, Kenneth Courtenay Radiogram 1924 - 1965 Image from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (B.026793) See description

[Cow and Internet] 15 August, 2007 Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (DCDL-0003731) See description

Neeco [National Electric and Engineering Company] Electric Iron "Moderne" circa 1936 Object from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (T000647) See description

Grundig tape recorder/dictophone [1950s] Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (1/2-036742-F) See description

unknown Gum scraper 1830 - 1840 Object from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (GH003391) See description

Harry Shilling with mobile telephones - Photograph taken by Stuart Ramson 8 March 1985 Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (EP/1985/1159/8A-F) See description

HMV record factory May 1957 Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (1/2-177242-F) See description

Black, Peter J 1948 - Leslie and Diana Camera 1979 Image from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki (1981/4/7) See description

Neil Scott of Wellington Polytechnic with computer system under development - Photograph taken by John Nicholson 17 September 1980 Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (EP/1980/2939/14-F) See description

Patrick Rogers of Apple Computer demonstrating a new system - Photograph taken by Stuart Ramson 5 December 1984 Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (EP/1984/5812/13) See description

Weeks, John 08 Jun 1886 - Sep 1965 Precision carbon holder 1950 Image from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki (1970/1/31) See description

Radiographer performing a chest X-ray on woman [194-?] Image from Alexander Turnbull Library (1/2-036856-F) See description

Siddell, Sylvia Grace 1941 - Sewing Machine 1983 Image from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki (1983/58) See description

Students in a laboratory class in wood technology, School of Forestry, Canterbury College [1926?] Image from Christchurch City Libraries (ADG-1840) See description

THE YEAR OF THE CHIP 1980 Movie from The New Zealand Film Archive Ngā Kaitiaki o Ngā Taonga Whitiāhua (F38498) See description

Niven, Kenneth Theatre projectors 1931 - 1940 Image from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (C.002292) See description

Sparrow Industrial Pictures Untitled. [Beer labelling machine - Dominion Breweries] Image from Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira (P8412) See description

Sparrow Industrial Pictures Untitled. [Technician performing eye test] Image from Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira (P8384) See description