Public interest in the war memorial was not slowing down, says Te Papa. Photo:
Originally intended to be in place for just four years, the exhibition featuring ultra-realistic figures of seven World War I servicemen and a nurse 2.4 times their life-size, had already been extended twice since its 2015 opening.
With this latest extension, the statues would have been on display for 17 years by the time the exhibition closes in April 2032.
Te Papa chief executive Courtney Johnston said public interest in the war memorial was not slowing down.
"The success of Gallipoli has been more than anyone could have ever expected," she told RNZ.
Johnston said the museum wanted to offer the immersive experience for as long as possible.
"We have visitors who come [to the exhibition] over and over again.
"I see so many visitors come out of the exhibition deeply affected. It's a scale of war that is hard to imagine and it hits people hard."
Johnston said they expected the exhibition to reach five million visitors this year.
"This has been Te Papa's most successful exhibition, possibly the most successful in New Zealand.
"We're at 4.8 million visitors now, so I expect this year we'll tick over to five million people who've been through Gallipoli."
Wētā Workshop co-founder Sir Richard Taylor, who was involved in the exhibition's creation, said it was one of the most seminal moments in his career.
"We wanted to share a deep respect to the memories of the men and women who served and sacrificed so much - on a scale that they deserved."
"We are incredibly thankful knowing that the exhibition is being extended, so that future visitors to Te Papa will continue to gain a deeper understanding of this critical moment in New Zealand's history, and so that young Kiwis who served in this campaign are never forgotten."
The exhibition would be closed from Monday 21 July to Friday 12 September for maintenance and upgrades.
Once it re-opened, the museum would be offering a new guided tour experience twice daily, which could be pre-booked online from Monday 4 August 2025.
Visitors to the exhibition between 1 May and 30 November would also be able to enter a draw for an 11-day trip to Türkiye for two people, valued at $15,000.
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