The Royal Society of New Zealand was founded by Act of Parliament almost a century ago as the New Zealand Institute and renamed by Royal consent in 1933. It is a federal body for the promotion of Science linking together the activities of 11 regional branches and three national institutes catering for separate disciplines of Science, through a council that meets biennially and a Standing Committee of Wellington councillors meeting monthly.

The Society serves the functions performed in many other countries by Academies of Science and is recognised as the senior New Zealand organisation of scientists. It differs, however, from the Royal Society of London and other academies in its federal constitution, with "member bodies" most of which have a membership open to all interested persons.

Within this broadly-based membership there has been established a Fellowship, a self-perpetuating body of persons elected for distinction in research, limited to 100. The re-constitution of the Society to vest control of its Council in the Fellows is at present under consideration by the Government.

The functions of the Royal Society of New Zealand may be grouped as local, national and international.