Wellington Museums & Galleries

Art Galleries
The Wellington region has become something of a hub for visual arts and there are now more than 55 central galleries. Visual arts are well catered for at Te Papa, which hosts a changing selection of national and international exhibitions throughout the year, and has just opened a new 1500sq metre gallery space. Galleries to visit include:

National Library of New Zealand (Cnr Molesworth & Aitken Streets)
The gallery exhibits manuscripts, rare books and drawings from the library's heritage collections. Free admission.
New Zealand Portrait Gallery
Located at Bowen House, cnr Lambton Quay & Bowen Street. Portraits of New Zealanders and an exploration of the NZ identity. Free admission.
Archives New Zealand (10 Mulgrave Street)
A permanent display of New Zealand's founding documents, including the treat of Waitangi and the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition.
Dowse Art Gallery
Located at nearby Lower Hutt, this innovative art gallery is a showcase for contemporary arts, crafts and design.
Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi
Victory University's on-campus gallery, featuring art installations and exhibitions.
City Gallery
Exhibitions of art, architecture and design from New Zealand and international artists.
The NZ Academy of Fine Arts
Promoting the creation and enjoyment of contemporary visual arts, with a focus on New Zealand artists.

Museums
Wellington contains a number of the nation's treasures, including the Treaty of Waitangi and New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa - a fascinating blend of interactive exhibitions and state-of-the-art technology. Museums to visit include:

Te Papa, (Cable Street)
The Washington Post called Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum, 'one of the most ambitiously eclectic museums in the world'. Virtual reality and motion simulation rides, as well as interactive exhibitions and hands-on displays, are used to explore New Zealand's land, culture and people.
Museum of Wellington City & Sea, (Bond Store, Queens Wharf)
The city's newest museum providing a journey through the Capital's social and maritime history.
Cable Car Museum/Interpretation Centre, (Lambton Quay)
The old Winding House for the Cable Car has been restored and showcases cars, static displays, and photographs. This site is still under development.
Katherine Mansfield's Birthplace, (25 Tinakori Road)
The restored birthplace of this famous New Zealand writer - who was born here in 1888 - contains manuscripts and a detailed history of Mansfield's life. A recreated period garden surrounds the house.
Colonial Cottage Museum, (68 Nairn Street)
Central Wellington's second eldest identified building, built in 1858. Period furnishings recreate the lifestyle of the early settlers.
National War Memorial
A unique art deco carillon tower and Hall of Memories built to commemorate the country's war dead. Daily carillon recitals take place.
The Film Centre
New Zealand's museum of the moving image.

Further Afield

Porirua Museum of Arts & Cultures
Porirua's excellent centre for art and history.
New Zealand Police Museum (Royal NZ Police College, Porirua)
Evidence documenting famous disasters, crimes and events from New Zealand's social history.

Wellington Museums & Galleries

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