Auckland · MUSEUMS
On a wet Auckland afternoon a museum is the plan, not the fallback. The 7 below cover the War Memorial Museum on the Domain, the maritime collection on the waterfront and the film workshop in Newmarket, with entry prices and which tickets skip the queue.
Spend a full day at Auckland Museum, Tamaki Paenga Hira, exploring three floors of Māori and Pacific treasures, natural history, science, Auckland communities, and wartime stories. General admission includes the museum, while guided tours, Māori performances, food, and drinks cost extra.
“Interesting exhibits. Three different parts. Natural history, naive New Zelander culture, military history”
Spend 90 minutes to two hours at Sculptureum in Matakana, walking 1.4km of flat paths through three gardens and six galleries. See more than 800 local and international artworks, including glass pieces, bronze figures, giant animals, and driftwood sculptures. Wine, coffee, and meals are available on site.
“The artwork and glass art inside the building is fabulous. The gardens and the sculptures are beautiful. The driftwood sculptures of the horses and the whale are amazing. The bronze sculptures were just lovely. I loved the boy pushing the girl on the swing. The sculpture of the boy holding the dolphin is apparently an early work by Leonardo Da Vinci and is quite stunning.”
Spend 3 to 4 hours exploring Auckland War Memorial Museum at your own pace. Your general admission covers three floors of Māori, Pacific, natural history, and military exhibits. Skip-the-line access may save a little time, though busy periods vary. Guided tours and cultural performances cost extra.
“Nice to be able to skip the line, but the line is actually not very long and the staff is a bit unfamiliar with the process of redeeming the tickets. The museum is good, with lots of references and artifacts related to Maori culture. Serve as a good introduction for someone to start delving into the very local part of New Zealand.”
At Auckland War Memorial Museum, you’ll watch an approximately 30 to 45-minute Māori performance of waiata, poi, storytelling, and haka traditions, then explore the museum’s general galleries. It’s a respectful first look at Māori culture, though the Māori Court and Pacific Galleries are temporarily closed.
“Very informative presentation. Learned so much about the meaning of the music, actions and implements used.”
Visit Auckland’s New Zealand Maritime Museum at Viaduct Harbour and follow the country’s ocean story from Pacific migration to America’s Cup yacht design. Plan 1 to 3 hours for English-language galleries, hands-on displays, special exhibitions, and a major maritime collection.
“Great museum and beautifully designed. We were lucky to be there while the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix was underway ~ so it was exciting and great location to watch the race.”
Join a small, maximum 10-person highlights tour at Auckland War Memorial Museum. In about an hour, a guide introduces Māori culture, Polynesian navigation, New Zealand geology, natural history, and wartime galleries across three floors. Your ticket also gives you time to explore independently.
“Large Museum where you can learn a lot about New Zealand history the Maori culture and the Polynesian culture in general.”
Explore Auckland after dark with a private guide and driver, stopping at Devonport, the Harbour Bridge, Westhaven Marina, SkyBar, and Auckland Museum. Enjoy a cocktail at New Zealand’s highest bar, travel in an air-conditioned vehicle, and ask for English or Spanish guiding.
“Great personalised experience, Carlos remained flexible and we went and viewed some boats , as we discovered interests in chatting!”
Pick a harbour, a cave or a vineyard.
