The second season of Auckland Museum's popular LATE at the Museum events kicks off with a bang on Thursday, 3 September. The new series called WHEREYAFROM? examines how migration has shaped our nation. On the first Thursday of every month from now until December, Finlay Macdonald and guests discuss the economic, biological, cultural and geographical implications of migration, while New Zealand's finest musicians perform in the museum's atrium and grand foyer. LATE 01: Going Global, 3 September What are the environmental and economic impacts of migration in our global age? SMART TALK: Dr John Merson / Rod Oram GREAT MUSIC: King Kapisi / Ladi6

LATE 02: Culture Compass, 1 October Migration plays a vital role in the ebb and flow of belief systems, language and culture. Just how has migration shaped us? SMART TALK: Philippa Mein Smith / Elizabeth Gordon GREAT MUSIC: Batucada Sound Machine / Family Cactus

LATE 03: Voyage of the Ancestors, November 5 The human journey to New Zealand was of the most remarkable migrations ever. How did these voyages take place, and what happened when we arrived here? SMART TALK: Geoff Irwin / Rawiri Taonui and guests GREAT MUSIC: SJD and guests

LATE 04: Isolation, December 3 Tens of millions of years ago the New Zealand landmass separated from Gondwanaland with its cargo of plants and animals. But is there another theory? SMART TALK: Hamish Campbell and guests GREAT MUSIC: Oliver Driver's Christmas Cabaret

The panel discussion at September's LATE 01 features Dr John Merson and Rod Oram. Dr Merson is the Director of the Australian Institute of Environmental Studies, founding Director of The Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute, and has been a consultant to the UNESCO and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs. His writing on our environmental impact has earned him a United Nations Media Peace Prize.

A winner of Qantas Media Awards for Newspaper Columnist of the Year and Magazine Feature Writer of the Year, Oram has more than 30 years' experience as a local and international financial journalist. He has worked in North America and Europe for leading publications, including the Financial Times of London. Oram is an adjunct professor in the New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Unitec.

The night's music welcomes performances by leading New Zealand vocalists Ladi6 (Karoline Tamati) and King Kapisi (Bill Urale), who became the first Polynesian hip-hop artist to receive the APRA Silver Scroll Award for Songwriter of the Year. Both Ladi6 and King Kapisi have pioneered a uniquely New Zealand sound through their blending of hip-hop, soul, reggae and local forms.

Throughout LATE 01 you can experience the Sonic Museum project by donning a special set of headphones and embarking on a musical exploration of the museum's collections, which have been reinterpreted by top Kiwi performers. The Museum's new exhibition Wonderland: The Mystery of the Orchid will also be open.