A Guide to the Best Museums in Wellington

The Finest Collections and Exhibitions in New Zealand’s Capital

Jul 3, 2009

Wellington, New Zealand contains many small but interesting museums, where visitors can learn about Kiwi society, culture, art, sports, and history.

Perhaps one of the best ways to get to know a new destination is through its museums. Although New Zealand is a relatively young country with a short history, Wellington contains numerous museums that share with visitors the story of both the city and country. By far the most famous and comprehensive is the modern, interactive Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. While Wellington’s remaining museums may not be nearly as impressive or imposing as the Te Papa, they all have something unique to show and tell.

Museum of Wellington City & Sea

Managed by the Wellington Museums Trust, the Museum of Wellington City & Sea is a retrospective of the social, cultural, and maritime history of New Zealand’s capital. Located along the waterfront, the museum occupies the former Bond Store, which dates back to 1892. Converted into a museum in 1972, the iconic building now houses temporary exhibits, artifacts, and permanent displays such as “By The Sea We Live”, “Wellington a Century Ago” and “Telling Tales”, an interactive timeline highlighting Wellington’s major events and advancements of the 20th century.

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery

Also found along the waterfront is The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, which presents rotating exhibits featuring the portraits of prominent and influential New Zealanders, past and present.

Katherine Mansfield Birthplace

Born in 1888 in Thorndon, Wellington’s oldest suburb, internationally renowned short story writer Katherine Mansfield is New Zealand’s most celebrated author. In the 1980s, the house where she spent the first five years of her life, referenced in stories such as “The Aloe”, “Prelude”, and “A Birthday”, was restored in keeping with the family’s social status and era and opened to the public. Highlights include family photos, as well as a heritage garden, biographical video, and doll’s house constructed to resemble the one detailed in the short story of the same name.

Archives New Zealand

Inside the sleek Archives New Zealand building, documents trace the country’s cultural and political development. The Treaty of Waitangi (the 1840 land agreement between the British Crown and the Maori people), along with part of the 1893 Petition for Women’s Suffrage are among the historically significant papers available for viewing.

Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm; 10 Mulgrave Street, Thorndon; Admission free

Wellington Art Galleries

While Wellington does not have a dedicated art museum, it does have a number of notable art galleries. The architectural award-winning Academy Galleries, part of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, exhibit works by established and emerging New Zealand artists (open daily 10am-5pm during exhibitions; 1 Queens Wharf; Admission free). Just a short trip from downtown Wellington are TheNewDowse in Lower Hutt (open M-F 10am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm; 45 Laings Road) and the Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre in Upper Hutt (open T-Sun 10am-4pm; 836 Fergusson), two exceptional galleries sure to please art enthusiasts.

Other noteworthy museums include: The Cable Car Museum, Colonial Cottage Museum and New Zealand Cricket Museum.

The copyright of the article A Guide to the Best Museums in Wellington in New Zealand Travel is owned by Amy Goldstein. Permission to republish A Guide to the Best Museums in Wellington in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.