Museums in Wellington

General Information

If you want to understand what makes New Zealand tick, visit museums wherever you go. Finding out the why, where, how and who in any town or city adds an extra layer to your travel experience.

Each of our major museums has its own specialities. Auckland Museum is known for an impressive collection of Maori and Polynesian artefacts; Te Papa in Wellington offers a very modern, and often interactive, learning experience; Canterbury Museum has a strong focus on Antarctica; Otago Museum in Dunedin takes an in-depth look at the natural and social history of the South Island. The provincial cities also have plenty to show you – check out Puke Ariki in New Plymouth and the wearable art museum in Nelson.

Small museums also deserve your attention, because they’re often eccentric and surprising. Kauri trees, coal and gold mining, cable cars, caves, toys, volcanic eruptions, army equipment, boats, trains and planes – the subject matter is wonderfully diverse.

Wellington Museum

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington Museum is a museum on Queens Wharf in Wellington, New Zealand. It occupies the 1892 Bond Store, a historic building on Jervois Quay on the waterfront of Wellington Harbour.

Address: 3 Jervois Quay, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	10am–5pm
Friday	10am–5pm
Saturday	10am–5pm
Sunday	10am–5pm
Monday	10am–5pm
Tuesday	10am–5pm
Wednesday	10am–5pm

Phone: +64 4-472 8904

Cable Car Museum

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Hilltop museum highlighting the city’s cable-car transport system with original grip cars & gear.

Address: 1A Upland Rd, Kelburn, Wellington 6012, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	9:30am–5pm
Friday	9:30am–5pm
Saturday	9:30am–5pm
Sunday	9:30am–5pm
Monday	9:30am–5pm
Tuesday	9:30am–5pm
Wednesday	9:30am–5pm

Phone: +64 4-475 3578

Nairn Street Cottage

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Nairn Street Cottage is Wellington’s oldest original cottage. The Wallis family lived in the cottage for three generations.

Address: 68 Nairn St, Mount Cook, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Opened: 1858

Hours:

Thursday	12–4pm
Friday	12–4pm
Saturday	12–4pm
Sunday	12–4pm
Monday	12–4pm
Tuesday	12–4pm
Wednesday	12–4pm

Phone: +64 4-384 9122

Owner: Wellington City Council

Architectural style: Georgian architecture

Designated as world heritage site: 1986

Space Place at Carter Observatory

Science museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Space Place at Carter Observatory stands at the top of the Botanic Gardens in Wellington, New Zealand.

Address: 40 Salamanca Rd, Kelburn, Wellington 6012, New Zealand

Opened: 1941

Hours:

Thursday	Closed
Friday	4–11pm
Saturday	10am–11pm
Sunday	10am–5:30pm
Monday	Closed
Tuesday	4–11pm
Wednesday	Closed

Phone: +64 4-910 3140

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand’s national museum, located in Wellington. Known as Te Papa, or ‘Our Place’, it opened in 1998 after the merging of the National Museum and the National Art Gallery.

Address: 55 Cable St, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	10am–6pm
Friday	10am–6pm
Saturday	10am–6pm
Sunday	10am–6pm
Monday	10am–6pm
Tuesday	10am–6pm
Wednesday	10am–6pm

CEO: Geraint Martin

Phone: +64 4-381 7000

Founded: 1992

Architect: Ivan Mercep

Did you know: Te Papa is New Zealand’s bold and innovative national museum and a recognised world leader in interactive and visitor-focused museum experiences. wellingtonnz.com

City Gallery Wellington

Art gallery in Wellington, New Zealand

The City Gallery Wellington is an art gallery in Wellington, New Zealand. The gallery was first opened in 1980 in a different building.

Address: 101 Wakefield St, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand

Opened: 1940

Floors: 2

Hours:

Thursday	10am–5pm
Friday	10am–5pm
Saturday	10am–5pm
Sunday	10am–5pm
Monday	10am–5pm
Tuesday	10am–5pm
Wednesday	10am–5pm

Phone: +64 4-913 9032

Architectural style: Art Deco

Wellington Museums Trust

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Address: The Bond Store Level 2/1 Jervois Quay, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand

Phone: +64 4-471 0919

New Zealand Cricket Museum

Address: 2 Rugby St, Mount Cook, Wellington 6021, New Zealand

Phone: +64 4-385 6602

The Weta Cave

Tourist attraction in Wellington, New Zealand

Exhibits of props for “Lord of the Rings” & other films, plus a documentary & studio souvenirs.

Address: 1 Weka St, Miramar, Wellington 6022, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	9am–5:30pm
Friday	9am–5:30pm
Saturday	9am–5:30pm
Sunday	9am–5:30pm
Monday	9am–5:30pm
Tuesday	9am–5:30pm
Wednesday	9am–5:30pm

Phone: +64 4-909 4100

Dowse Art Museum

Art gallery in Lower Hutt, New Zealand

The Dowse Art Museum is a municipal art gallery in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Opening in 1971 in the Lower Hutt CBD, The Dowse occupies a stand-alone building adjacent to other municipal facilities. The building was completely remodelled in 2013.

Address: 45 Laings Rd, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	10am–5pm
Friday	10am–5pm
Saturday	10am–5pm
Sunday	10am–5pm
Monday	10am–5pm
Tuesday	10am–5pm
Wednesday	10am–5pm

Phone: +64 4-570 6500

Founded: 1971

New Zealand Dominion Museum building

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

The New Zealand Dominion Museum building was completed in 1936, and is located on Buckle Street in Wellington next to the National War Memorial.

Address: 15 Buckle St, Mount Cook, Wellington 6021, New Zealand

Opened: 1936

Hours:

Thursday	9am–6pm
Friday	9am–6pm
Saturday	9am–6pm
Sunday	9am–6pm
Monday	9am–6pm
Tuesday	9am–6pm
Wednesday	9am–6pm

Phone: +64 4-385 2496

Architecture firm: Gummer and Ford

Current tenant: Massey University

The Great War Exhibition

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Address: Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	9am–6pm
Friday	9am–6pm
Saturday	9am–6pm
Sunday	9am–6pm
Monday	9am–6pm
Tuesday	9am–6pm
Wednesday	9am–6pm

Phone: +64 4-978 2500

New Zealand Portrait Gallery

Art gallery in Wellington, New Zealand

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery is an art gallery located in Wellington, New Zealand, in the historic Waterfront Shed 11. The Gallery was registered as a charitable trust in 1990.

Address: 11 Customhouse Quay, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	10:30am–4:30pm
Friday	10:30am–4:30pm
Saturday	10:30am–4:30pm
Sunday	10:30am–4:30pm
Monday	10:30am–4:30pm
Tuesday	10:30am–4:30pm
Wednesday	10:30am–4:30pm

Phone: +64 4-472 2298

Founded: 1990

Petone Settlers Museum

Museum in Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Petone Settlers Museum is a local history museum located in the Wellington Provincial Centennial Memorial, a historic building in Petone, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

Address: Petone Settlers Museum, Petone, Lower Hutt 5012, New Zealand

Opened: 1939

Hours:

Thursday	10am–4pm
Friday	10am–4pm
Saturday	10am–4pm
Sunday	10am–4pm
Monday	Closed
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	10am–4pm

Phone: +64 4-568 8373

Designated as world heritage site: 6 September 1984

Designer: Horace L. Massey

Corrections’ Heritage Centre

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Address: 52/44-52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	7:30am–5pm
Friday	7:30am–5pm
Saturday	Closed
Sunday	Closed
Monday	7:30am–5pm
Tuesday	7:30am–5pm
Wednesday	7:30am–5pm

National Tattoo Museum of New Zealand

Art museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Address: 187 Vivian St, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	12–5:30pm
Friday	12–8pm
Saturday	12–8pm
Sunday	12–5:30pm
Monday	12–5:30pm
Tuesday	12–5:30pm
Wednesday	12–5:30pm

Phone: +64 4-385 2185

Pataka – Art + Culture

Art museum in Porirua, New Zealand

Contemporary art gallery showcasing Maori, New Zealand & international artists, with a kids’ area.

Address: 17 Parumoana St, Porirua 5022, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	10am–5pm
Friday	10am–5pm
Saturday	10am–5pm
Sunday	11am–4:30pm
Monday	10am–5pm
Tuesday	10am–5pm
Wednesday	10am–5pm

Phone: +64 4-237 1511

Adam Art Gallery

Art gallery in Wellington, New Zealand

The Adam Art Gallery is the purpose-built gallery of Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Located in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, it is where the Victoria University Art Collection is managed.

Address: Gate 3, Victoria University,, Kelburn Parade, Wellington 6012, New Zealand

Opened: 21 September 1999

Hours:

Thursday	11am–5pm
Friday	11am–5pm
Saturday	11am–5pm
Sunday	11am–5pm
Monday	Closed
Tuesday	11am–5pm
Wednesday	11am–5pm

Phone: +64 4-463 6835

Owner: Victoria University of Wellington

Director: Tina Barton

Established: 1999

Katherine Mansfield House and Garden

Museum in Wellington, New Zealand

Katherine Mansfield House and Garden was the home of Katherine Mansfield, a prominent New Zealand author. The building, located in Thorndon, Wellington, is classified as a “Category I” historic place by Heritage New Zealand.

Address: 25 Tinakori Rd, Thorndon, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	10am–4pm
Friday	10am–4pm
Saturday	10am–4pm
Sunday	10am–4pm
Monday	Closed
Tuesday	10am–4pm
Wednesday	10am–4pm

Phone: +64 4-473 7268

Cost: 400 GBP

Architectural style: Italianate architecture

Construction started: 1887

Client: Harold Beauchamp

Designated as world heritage site: 11 July 1986

New Zealand Police Museum

Museum in Porirua, New Zealand

Address: Royal New Zealand Police College/Papakowhai Rd, Porirua, Papakowhai 5024, New Zealand

Hours:

Thursday	10am–5pm
Friday	10am–5pm
Saturday	10am–5pm
Sunday	10am–5pm
Monday	10am–5pm
Tuesday	10am–5pm
Wednesday	10am–5pm

Phone: +64 4-238 3141

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