Wellington's Best Museums
- Helen
- Dec 26, 2018
- 6 min read
Updated: Jan 16, 2019
Wellington, as the capital of New Zealand, has a great selection of museums offering something for everyone. Wellington's museums range from the Museum of New Zealand housing a large selection of exhibitions relating to this incredible country to the Cable Car Museum, art galleries and a museum about one of New Zealand's most famous female authors.
Each museum in Wellington will capture your interest and impress you with it's high standard of presentation and engagement.
No matter your age, you will find museums in Wellington worth visiting and best of all - most are free to enter!
You might have heard Wellington referred to as, 'windy Wellington'; a name it has acquired fondly from it's residents, and Wellington is considered by many to be the world's windiest city. On a day when the rains are accompanying Wellington's strong winds, you will welcome a museum to shelter in and to entertain you for a happy morning or afternoon...
Therefore, I felt it my duty to research the museums Wellington has to offer and give you the low down here!
Wellington's Best Museums To Visit:
Te Papa Museum
(Museum of New Zealand)
When in Wellington, even if you don't see any other museum, to leave without going to the Te Papa Museum would be a crime!
The Maori name of the Museum of New Zealand located on the waterfront of Wellington city is 'Te Papa Tongarewa' which translates to 'container of treasures'.
Te Papa has been at it's current site since 1998 and it aims to show the history of New Zealand and it's culturally diverse society, while linking the past, present and future.
The Te Papa Museum more than delivers on it's aims.
This large museum offers a range of exhibitions which include New Zealand arts, incredible Maori exhibits and information about New Zealand's nature and wildlife.
Here you will learn about New Zealand's fascinating past, including about the Maori people, their ancestors and history to when the first European settlers arrived in New Zealand and how this shaped the country today.
In addition to the above, at Te Papa you will also find the most amazing war exhibition - titled, "Gallipoli: Scale of our War".
This moving and completely gripping part of the museum tells the story of the World War 1 Gallipoli campaign through the voices of everyday New Zealanders who found themselves caught up in this horrendous war. The exhibits include large and incredibly realistic figures of the soldiers and a nurse which will take your breath away in how life-like they are.
You will not leave this exhibition untouched!
Also worth noting is that on 15th December 2018 Te Papa opened an exhibition of the Terracotta Warriors from China... this is a paid exhibit but a rare opportunity to see these iconic statues up close.
Overall, the Te Papa Museum is a part of Wellington that is imperative to visit! The fact it is free to enter also means that if you do have some time in the city you can see different sections on different days to appreciate it fully.
Open everyday 10am-6pm (other than Christmas Day)
Free Entry
55 Cable Street
www.tepapa.govt.nz/
City Gallery Wellington
The City Gallery in Wellington is based in Civic Square, just over the City to Sea Bridge. City Gallery provides modern and contemporary art exhibitions from New Zealand and around the world.
The Gallery does not house any permanent installations and offers an ever changing programme of exhibitions and events. It aims to stimulate conversation and provide art which will test boundaries and challenge.
What you see when you visit will therefore depend on the exhibitions offered at that time.
On my visit was an exhibition of an art / music ensemble called From Scratch, who have been in existence since the 1970s and use very inventive instruments, while engaging in egalitarian politics!
The Gallery provided information about the group's history and offered examples of their music and instruments you could play with. Overall, it was interesting and interactive.
Worth a visit if you want some modern art to open your mind to!
Open everyday 10 am-5 pm (other than Christmas Day)
Free Entry
Civic Square, Wellington
Wellington Museum
Wellington Museum is a fascinating place to visit. It is housed in a building on the waterfront that was built in 1892 and is said to be one of the most architecturally significant buildings of New Zealand.
The building was used originally as a bonded cargo warehouse and the 4 floors here today will take you on a journey through Wellington's history and beyond!
The exhibitions in Wellington Museum will teach you about how the city evolved over the 20th Century to become the, 'coolest little capital', as it is known today.
Further exhibitions include a moving display about the Wahine maritime tragedy in 1968, Maori stories from the past millennium, exhibits regarding Wellington harbour and it's history, as well as Crown Jewels and a Time Machine!!
A very diverse and engaging museum that will definitely entertain the whole family.
Open everyday 10 am to 5 pm (other than Christmas Day)
Free Entry
Cable Car Museum
The Wellington cable car is one of the city's icons.... taking passengers from the heart of the city up the steep hill to the Botanical Gardens and Observatory at the Kelburn terminus.
The Cable Car Museum is located next to the upper terminus and is within the original winding house for the cable car that operated and powered the cars between 1902 and 1978.
The museum today still holds the fascinating original winding machine room and equipment used for the cable cars.
As well as this, the museum houses two of the original grip cars that were used on the line, one in the early 1900s and the second from the 1950s to the 1970s. Both have been beautifully restored and visitors are able to climb on board and experience these historical relics up close!
This museum will teach you about the history of the Wellington Cable Car, how it came to be and why it was saved from permanent closure.
Whether you ride the cable car today or not to reach the museum, put a trip to this fun place on your itinerary!
Open everday 9.30 am to 5 pm (other than Christmas Day)
Free Entry
1A Upland Road, Kelburn
Pataka Museum of Art & Cultures
A short journey outside of the main city of Wellington, in Porirua, can be found the Pataka Museum. Opened in 1998, the museum here displays contemporary Maori, Pacific, New Zealand & international art and history.
With a real community feel as well as interesting, fun and beautiful displays and exhibits, a trip to Pataka is recommended.
The museum houses some permanent exhibitions, alongside a changing programme of other events and exhibits. Also found here is a great children's area that will teach children of all ages about New Zealand and it's harbour over years gone by, including how they can help preserve our wildlife into the future.
Open Mon - Sat 10 am to 5 pm / Sun 11 am to 4.30 pm
Free Entry
Corner of Norrie & Parumoana Streets, Porirua City
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery
Another art gallery worth popping into is the Portrait Gallery in Wellington.
An open and spacious museum inside, offering portraits in a range of styles, including painting, sculpture, photography and caricature of both well known and everyday New Zealand people.
The gallery, through it's exhibits, aims to answer the question of what it means to be a New Zealander.
Displaying some permanent exhibits and special exhibitions, this free gallery is incredibly interesting. A space to see some great art and learn more about the people who have shaped or continue to shape this great little nation today.
Open everyday 10.30 am to 4.30 pm (other than Christmas Day & Good Friday)
Free Entry
Customhouse Quay, Wellington
Katherine Mansfield House & Garden
Katherine Mansfield is said to be New Zealand's most internationally famous author.
The author, who only lived for 34 years, was born here at the Katherine Mansfield House & Garden in Wellington in 1888.
Katherine Mansfield was an exceptional person, who thought herself an author first and a woman second. Despite her short life, Katherine achieved a great deal and today her short stories, poems, letters and reviews ensure she lives on.
This childhood home of Katherine Mansfield is now a museum dedicated to the author and her life. Katherine wrote about her memories and life in this home in some of her most famous works.
Whether you are a book lover (like me!) or not, you will enjoy and find interest in this great collection of well preserved artefacts and beautifully restored family home.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm
Adult entry charge but children are free to enter
25 Tinakori Road, Thorndon
So, there you have 7 of the best museums Wellington has to offer.
The saying goes that Wellington is, 'the coolest little capital' and with this incredible selection of largely free museums that it offers any visitor, it lives up to this reputation!
Take some time to enjoy each of these when you are in Wellington... you will learn so much more about this great nation as well as be entertained, engrossed and encaptured!!
**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**
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