Tourism New Zealand spent $1.5 million preparing the Maori Art Meets America exhibition, which was held in San Francisco earlier this month.

The event was organised in partnership with Toi Maori Aotearoa, a Wellington-based arts group which also played a key role in developing the new All Black haka.

General manager Gary Nicholas says traditional weaving and carving, body art and a Maori canoe were showcased. He expected the exhibition to attract around 18,000 visitors, but at least 26,000 went to the nine-day event.

The exhibition goes to Oregon next month.