Embrace New Zealand’s culture, history, flora and fauna with six floors of exhibitions and interactive experiences at Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand). Its full Māori name is “Te Papa Tongarewa,” which means “container of treasures.”
Start your hands-on adventure inside Our Space, a hi-tech interactive experience that includes The Wall, a 59 feet (18 meter) long interactive video wall.
Learn about the natural forces that shaped New Zealand at the Awesome Forces exhibit. Step inside the shake house and experience a simulated earthquake. Watch the light and sound show that tells the Māori account of creation.
At Mountains to Sea you’ll see displays of more than 2,500 native plants and animals, from insects to the 68-feet (21-meter) skeleton of pygmy blue whale.
Get close to what’s thought to be the heaviest squid ever caught. It weighs 1,091 pounds (495 kilograms) and has a mantle length (the length of the muscular organ that protects the body) of 8.2 feet (2.5 meters). It was captured by a New Zealand fishing vessel in Antarctic waters in 2007 and is preserved in a large tank.
Appreciate some of the museum’s cultural treasures, including thousands of Māori ancestral carvings, ornaments and weapons. Te Papa also houses the national art collection, which includes thousands of works by New Zealand artists, photographers and sculptors.
Explore an urban rainforest at Bush City, just outside the museum. Here, you can crawl through a limestone cave to see glow worms and the bones of an extinct moa bird.
Kids will love the activities designed for them. They can dig for dinosaur bones, learn traditional Māori games, make a puppet, examine insects under a microscope or take an art class.
Situated in Cable Street on Wellington’s waterfront, Te Papa is easily reached by car and public transport. Most of the city’s buses travel near the museum and the main railway station is just a short walk away. There is pay parking 24 hours a day.
Te Papa is open daily, including public holidays. Admission is free though charges may apply to some temporary exhibitions.
Te Papa Tours and Activities
Visit Te Papa
Plan a trip to see Te Papa
Quest on Johnston
Reviewed on Oct. 27, 2024
TRYP by Wyndham Wellington, Tory Street
Reviewed on Oct. 30, 2024
Reviews of Te Papa
5/5 - Excellent
Been to this museum twice now - twenty years apart and still one of my most favourite museums in the world.
5/5 - Excellent
4th floor had fantastic displays of Maori history and culture
Popular places to visit
Michael Fowler Centre
Wellington’s main stage for conferences and indoor events features award-winning architecture and a year-round calendar of music and arts events.
Wellington Town Hall
Catch an event at Wellington Town Hall during your trip to Wellington. Discover the acclaimed theater scene and shops in this walkable area.
Courtenay Place
Shop, wine and dine in this culinary hot spot on one of Wellington's most fashionable streets.
Civic Square
Relax outdoors in the center of Wellington, surrounded by public artworks and some of the city’s most iconic buildings.
Waitangi Park
Explore the great outdoors at Waitangi Park, a lovely green space in Wellington. Check out the shops and top-notch restaurants in this walkable area.
City Gallery Wellington
Enjoy eclectic and cutting-edge contemporary art at this free gallery.