The 10 Best Art Deco Photo Spots in Napier, New Zealand

Napier in New Zealand is world renowned for being the 'Art Deco Capital' as much of the city is built in a stunning art deco design with intricate features and details.

Visiting Napier you are spoilt for art deco photo opportunities that will make spectacular and memorable images, whether for your Instagram audience, to make your family and friends jealous or just for your own enjoyment.

Within this post I will recommend the very best art deco photo spots in Napier to find!

A Quick History to Napier's Art Deco Style

Art deco is the name given to the decorative style that became a worldwide craze in the early 20th century.

This was a time of great change in the world with evolving science and technology and greater independence (particularly of women).

This was also the Jazz Age!

The Soundshell in Napier

Art deco designers utilised geometric, angular patterns and shapes and embodied symbols of freedom into their creations.

In the midst of this art deco era, the town of Napier in New Zealand experienced a devastating earthquake in 1931.

Buildings that did not collapse from the tremors were destroyed by fires that broke out immediately afterwards.

Following this, the people of Napier joined together to rebuild their town.

By 1933 the town was largely rebuilt and it is these buildings, representing the 1930's style of art deco architecture that remain the face of Napier today.

164 buildings were built in Napier between 1920 and 1940 in art deco style and of these 140 remain for us to admire and capture on camera!

Napier's people are rightly proud of it's art deco heritage as it represents the spirit of the town, rising from such devastation following the earthquake. Today people come from around the world to enjoy the beauty here.

Regular art deco events feature across the region and Napier now holds a very popular annual Art Deco Festival in February where people celebrate and embrace the full spirit of the era.

Napier's 10 Best Art Deco Photo Spots

The Welcome Signs!

As you arrive in Napier, from any direction, one of the first indications that you are about to be spoilt in a world of art deco glamour are the Napier welcome signs you pass.

Each sign depicts a fun painted image from the art deco jazz age and announces,

'The Art Deco Capital - Napier'.

When I first drove into the town, with excitement building at what I would find, it was passing this first sign that made me know I was coming to something great!

You will find the images from these signs on postcards and other souvenirs around the town, but grabbing a snap of the signs themselves makes for some great photos!

Please, though be careful. These are roadside signs so only stop if there is somewhere safe to do so!

National Tobacco Building

Identified as being one of the most photographed buildings around Napier, the National Tobacco Building, found just outside the main town, in nearby Ahuriri, is a must see and essential art deco photo spot.

The design for the building was funded in the 1930s by tobacco tycoon Gerhard Husheer, who ordered that the build be as opulent and extravagant as possible. Completed in 1932, it is fair to say Mr. Husheer got his wishes!

Today, the building is owned by a winery owner, Tony Bish, who has redeveloped the interior to create a modern and fresh space for his boutique winery (see my post on wineries to visit around Napier for more!).

Whether you visit the winery here or not, be sure to visit this elegant and beautiful example of art deco style with camera to hand.

The Daily Telegraph Building

Quoted as being, 'Napier's most flamboyantly Art Deco building' is the Daily Telegraph Building in the heart of Napier.

The building was erected in 1932 and depicts many different elements of art deco style.

The original Daily Telegraph building was destroyed by the earthquake in 1931 but it is said that the staff collected up what they could salvage from the debris, relocated to a nearby press and produced a bulletin the following day!

Today, the building is owned by a local businessman who has restored the interior and quietly visiting the inside of the building is also not without it's rewards.

Inside and out, The Daily Telegraph building offers art deco photo opportunities in abundance!

'A Wave In Time' Sculptures

As you walk down one of the main shopping streets in Napier, admiring the art deco buildings either side, you will find a bronze sculpture of a woman dressed in 1920's fashion waving to her left, with a greyhound dog by her side.

This sculpture is actually not from the art deco era but a relatively new installation in the town. However, as she represents the art deco time period I felt justified to include it here.

The sculpture dates from 2010 and is of Miss Sheila Williams who was the daughter of E A Williams, one of the main architects to carry out the building designs of the 1930s.

Many who pass by and admire this sculpture of Miss Williams fail to spot the second sculpture - a young boy, climbing a pole, who she is waving at.

A clever design and great fun to see, these sculptures representing the art deco era, are enjoyable to admire and grab shots of...

The Bus Terminus

If you were to arrive in Napier by bus, one of your first sights of Napier will be the bus terminus building which has been painted with some colourful murals depicting the art deco era.

The murals here are fantastic to capture on camera and make great Instagram-worthy shots!

The painted murals covering three walls of the terminal building were completed in 2015.

The first of the images depicts a woman dressed in the fashion of the era, dancing outside the National Tobacco Company building (see above!). The image also depicts the words, 'Haere Mai' to incorporate a Maori greeting.

On the other two walls there are images of various bus passengers waiting or greeting one another, all dressed in 1920s / 1930s fashion.

Spirit of Napier (Gilray Fountain)

Walking south down Marine Parade in Napier, on the waterfront you will find an eye-catching, yet simple bronze sculpture of a woman atop a column seemingly rising up from the ground and reaching to the sky.

Erected in 1971 the 'Spirit of Napier', as this landmark has become known, is fashioned in art deco style and is said to represent Napier rising from the ashes of the 1931 earthquake.

Unfortunately the original sculpture here was deteriorating from rot and so it was recast and re-erected in 2011 in the stunning bronze form we find today.

You can gain some great images of this art deco style, symbolic icon - taking different angles and if you can visit more than once, then the changing light will create distinctly differing results to your photos.

Vintage Car Outside T&G Building & Napier Arch

During the day, in the centre of Napier, you will often find a prestige vintage car parked outside the Masonic Hotel, beside the T&G building.

These cars are available for people to take tours of the area but are great to photograph with art deco landmarks behind, to really capture a feeling for the era in your images.

The T&G building is the 1936 built landmark with its dome and clock lantern that stands imposingly along Marine Parade and can form a great backdrop to the vintage car parked in front.

From another angle, you can also capture the Napier Arch, part of the 1930s built colonnade, that still today draws people to Marine Parade.

Very few can resist the romance and whimsical nature of a vintage car, so take this chance to photograph one in the most perfect setting.

The Masonic Hotel

A Masonic Hotel has stood on this site since 1861 and has always been one of Napier's (and New Zealand's) most impressive hotels.

The current Masonic Hotel building we find here today was erected following the destruction of it's predecessor in the earthquake.

Completed in 1932, the hotel as we find it today retains many of the features from that time.

One part of the hotel you will not fail to notice is the elaborate stained glass canopy that covers it's entrance in true art deco style.

Venture inside the hotel lobby, bar and restaurant area to enjoy more of the art deco features, including the floors, the staircase and fireplaces.

Be sure to capture them on your camera!

A true art deco landmark in Napier, The Masonic Hotel is a top photo spot.

Flight Of The Return Sculpture

Seemingly flying above Paxie's Lane which connects Marine Parade with Hastings Street in the heart of Napier, is a beautiful sculpture of a row of gannets.

The stainless steel artwork entitled, 'Flight of the Return', represent the gannets that can be found just along the coast from Napier at Cape Kidnappers.

The artist who created the sculpture arrived in Napier from Germany with his family when he was 10 years old and said that to him the gannets represent freedom.

Not strictly a part of the art deco era in Napier, but the angular features of the sculpture do certainly have art deco influences in their design.

Capturing images of these birds with the sky above them, so seemingly flying freely make for some great shots!

The Public Trust Office Building

Built in 1922, the large Public Trust Office building in Napier is a rare example of earlier art deco architecture of the era.

Due to the large size of the building here, it did survive the earthquake in 1931 and hence continues to impress with it's style and elegance today.

Sitting on a corner, the Public Trust Office facade includes large columns, imposing doorways and detailed patterns in the plasterwork.

You cannot fail to notice the building here and be impressed by it.

The photo opportunities are great too - capture the building from afar, or zoom in on some of the detail... There are plenty of opportunities to wow your audience!

Throughout Napier the art deco photo opportunities are infinite and this was just a round up of my 10 favourite spots but I could go on!

Wherever you go in Napier you will be impressed by art deco style buildings, fountains, sculptures and much more - just make sure you have space on your camera's memory for all the pictures you will want to take!

In addition, for more information about the art deco designs and stories within Napier, and to take more photos(!) drop into the Art Deco Centre, where they have lots of merchandise from the era and plenty of information, as well as offering guided tours.

So, get your flapper dress on and step into your Mary Jane's (yes, boys - you too!); grab your 21st century camera and wow us all with your fabulous art deco images!

If you are not already then why not follow me on Instagram where I post images of my nomadic travels regularly and do comment - it is great to connect with others.

**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**