Wellington

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Te Papa

New Zealand's national museum contains interesting exhibitions on the country's history and culture and includes several shops. It has the only complete colossal squid on display.

Daily 10AM-6PM, closed 25 Dec · Free for NZ citizens (except for the occasional special presentation), $35 for 48hr international visitor ticket · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

City Gallery

Runs a consistently avant-garde set of exhibits, with no permanent collection. In it's usual location has an excellent café, Nikau, attached to it.

Tue-Fri 10AM-5PM, Sat 9AM-1PM · Wheelchair accessible

Wellington Museum

formerly Museum of Wellington City & Sea

A well-presented museum of the history of Wellington, including its maritime history.

Daily 10AM-5PM, closed 25 Dec · Free for NZ residents, $16 for international visitors · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Carter Observatory

Space Place

Offers a state of the art planetarium show, along with multimedia exhibits that show how early Māori, Polynesian and European settlers navigated their way to New Zealand.

Daily 10AM-5PM · $18 · Wheelchair accessible

New Zealand Portrait Gallery

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata is an art gallery in the Waterfront Shed 11 building in Wellington, New Zealand.

daily 10:30AM - 4:30PM · free · Free entry · Built 1905

Nairn Street Cottage

Preserved cottage built in 1858 and kept in the same family until it became a museum, with an exhibition on its history. The small garden is open every day..

daily tours at noon, 2PM, and 3PM · $8

Nikau

At the Art Gallery (Civic Square) - good food, but at relatively high prices.

National Tattoo Museum of New Zealand

History of tattooing in New Zealand and the Pacific, especially traditional Maori tattooing. Shown in just two rooms attached to a tattoo studio. One of Wellington's least museums.

Fri Sat noon-8PM, Sun-Thu noon-5:30PM · Free (the sign at the entrance about payment relates to getting a tattoo)

Pataka Art + Museum

A museum and art gallery. There is a Japanese Garden (contributed by sister city Nishio) and at the adjacent public library you can see one of the North Island's best genealogical collections.

Daily 10AM-5PM · Free

Cable Car Museum

1A Upland Road, Kelburn

Daily 9AM-5PM, closed 25 Dec · Free · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Holocaust Centre of New Zealand

A small museum.

Sun-Fri 10AM-1PM · Free · Free entry

Basin Reserve

Established in 1868 and with a capacity of 13,000, this is New Zealand oldest cricket ground. It hosts Test matches and the Wellington Firebirds team, plus the NZ Cricket Museum.

Matiu/Somes Island

Out in the middle of the harbour, this island has its share of history. It was once a quarantine station for immigrants, and later (and more extensively) for animals. It was also an internment camp for "dangerous" individuals during both world wars. The island is a nature reserve managed by the DOC, bio-security bag inspections on arrival and a small exhibition. The animal quarantine station and some wartime defences can be explored, there are good harbour views, but the wildlife is the main attraction. Bring food in sealed containers and something to drink as there are no shops. There is a campsite and two bachs which need to be booked in advance.

Ferry $25

Wellington Botanic Garden ki Paekākā

It is a nice place to go for a picnic, or just an afternoon walk (or run for a challenging fitness experience). You can take the Cable Car from Lambton Quay for a quick 5-minute trip to the top; but it is not designed to be exciting, despite being photogenic. If you're keen on walking up, take the lifts in the James Cook Arcade (or one of several others along Lambton Quay) up to The Terrace, head south uphill until you reach Salamanca Rd. Head uphill up Salamanca Rd until you reach Victoria University. A set of stairs on the opposite side of the road to the Hunter Lawn goes uphill right to the top of the Gardens. If you already shelled out for a Busabout Daypass ticket, just catch the Mairangi bus, get off at the stop after the University, and walk back along Upland Rd until you reach the Cable Car Museum. The Cable Car Museum has two of the old cars in semi-restored and fully-restored condition and some of the original Cable Car machinery from the system that was replaced in 1978. The Lookout has a great view day or night, and the large map next to the round tree usually has a few pamphlets with maps of the Gardens. The Carter Observatory is a stones throw from here. This is the perfect place to explore the Garden from, or wander back to the city.

Adam Art Gallery

The Adam Art Gallery (in Māori: Te Pātaka Toi) is a purpose-built arts gallery located in the Kelburn Campus of Victoria University of Wellington in Wellington, New Zealand.

New Zealand Police Museum

Showcases policing methods of the past, present, and future.

Daily 10AM–5PM · General admission is free. Pre-planned tours cost as much as $5

Dowse Art Gallery

Contemporary art from New Zealand and elsewhere.

Free entry; charges for some exhibitions

New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts

The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts (also referred to as the Wellington Art Society) was founded in Wellington in July 1882 as The Fine Arts Association of New Zealand. Founding artists included painters William Beetham (first president of the Association) and Charles Decimus Barraud. The association changed its name to the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and was incorporated as a limited company in 1889.

Free entry

Page

42 Victoria St

Mo-Th 10:00-17:00; Fr 10:00-16:00 · Free entry

Enjoy Contemporary Art Space

211 Left Bank

We-Fr 11:00-18:00; Sa 11:00-16:00

Vincents Art Workshop

148 Willis Street, Te Aro

Wheelchair accessible

Twentysix Art Gallery

26 Constable Street, Newtown

Free entry

Toi Pōneke Arts Centre

61-69 Abel Smith St

Wheelchair accessible

Katherine Mansfield House and Garden

25 Tinakori Road, Thorndon

Kura Gallery

19 Allen St

Bowen Galleries

39 Ghuznee St

McLeavey Gallery

147 Cuba St

Wellington Art Club

27 Chelsea Street, Miramar

Cricket Museum

2 Rugby St

Māori Arts Gallery

Boat shed 1, Frank Kitts Park