Te Papa – The Museum of New Zealand

Everyone who visits Wellington should take the time to experience Te Papa Tongarewa – The Museum of New Zealand. Te Papa sits proudly on the city’s waterfront and brings culture, history, and creativity to life through world-class exhibitions and interactive displays.

Entry remains free for New Zealanders and residents, while charges may apply for international visitors, as well as for special exhibitions. There are no ticket barriers — you simply walk in and begin exploring — which makes Te Papa one of the most accessible and welcoming museums in the world.

From powerful stories of Aotearoa’s past to cutting-edge art and science, Te Papa captures the spirit of the nation in one place. It’s family-friendly, endlessly fascinating and a Must-See highlight for any visit to Whanganui-a-Tara-Wellington.

🪶 Māori Culture and Taonga

One of Te Papa’s most moving and memorable experiences is the chance to explore its Māori exhibitions. Here you’ll find taonga tuku iho — treasured cultural objects handed down through generations, alongside carvings, textiles and artefacts that tell the story of Aotearoa’s first people.

The exhibitions go beyond objects in glass cases. They connect you to whakapapa (genealogy), language, and tikanga (customs), showing Māori culture as a living, evolving presence. From intricately carved meeting houses to contemporary art by Māori creators, the spaces are immersive and respectful, inviting you to pause and reflect.

Highlights often include:

• Wharenui (meeting houses): Standing inside these carved ancestral houses gives a real sense of connection and presence.
• Waka (canoes): Traditional vessels that speak to the navigational skill and voyaging history of Māori ancestors.
• Taonga pūoro (instruments): Unique musical instruments that carry both sound and story.

💡 Why it’s special: Te Papa doesn’t just display Māori culture — it presents it as a living heartbeat of Aotearoa, central to the nation’s identity today.

🎖️ Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War

Created with the artistry of Wētā Workshop, this exhibition tells the story of New Zealand’s role in Gallipoli during World War I. It features larger-than-life human figures, frozen in moments of pain, courage and endurance. Each is 2.4 times human size and so detailed you can see pores and sweat, a striking reminder of the personal cost of war.

The experience combines these figures with letters, diary entries and personal accounts from New Zealand soldiers and nurses. The result is both heartbreaking and unforgettable.

Important to know: This exhibition is not permanent, but Te Papa has extended it several times due to its popularity. It will now remain open until April 2032, with a short closure from 21 July – 12 September 2025 for maintenance and upgrades.

💡 Why it’s special: It is one of the most moving war exhibitions in the world and a must-see even if you think you know the Gallipoli story. Toni and I were privileged to visit Gallipoli ourselves, where we paid our respects to the fallen soldiers. Visiting was one of the most spiritually moving experiences of our lives, and we feel truly blessed to have had it.

🦑 Colossal Squid

The colossal squid is one of Te Papa’s most famous residents — the biggest ever caught and the only one of its kind on display anywhere in the world. Preserved in a specially designed tank, this deep-sea giant tips the scales at over 495 kg and measures more than four metres long.

You’ll find it in the Ngā Kaitiaki | Guardians area of Te Taiao | Nature, where it continues to amaze visitors of all ages.Interactive displays invite you to dive deeper into its world: watch a short film about how the squid travelled from Antarctica to Te Papa, explore its bizarre anatomy, and even handle models of its beak and razor-sharp tentacle hooks.

For families, the hands-on activities are a highlight. Kids (and plenty of adults too) love testing their strength against a squid’s tentacles and imagining life in the cold, dark depths of the Southern Ocean, where these mysterious giants make their home.

💡 Why it’s special: It’s not just a specimen — it’s a rare chance to stand face-to-face with the largest invertebrate on the planet and an experience you’ll be talking about long after you leave.

🎨 Toi Art – New Zealand’s National Art Collection

Te Papa is home to Aotearoa’s national art collection, showcased in the vibrant and ever-changing space of Toi Art. Te Papa opened this dedicated gallery in 2018 to celebrate the depth and diversity of New Zealand art, from early works to cutting-edge contemporary pieces.

Here, you might encounter a 19th-century painting that captures the landscapes of colonial New Zealand, stand before a powerful Māori carving or tukutuku panel and then step into a bold modern installation that challenges the way you see the world — all within the same visit. Curators rotate exhibitions often, ensuring there is always something new to discover.

The gallery design itself encourages you to wander, interact and reflect. It feels more like a creative playground than a hushed gallery space, making it approachable for both art lovers and first-time visitors. Toi Art champions the voices of Māori and Pasifika artists, placing their stories and perspectives at the heart of New Zealand’s national collection.

💡 Why it’s special: Toi Art isn’t just about viewing paintings on a wall — it’s about experiencing the living culture of Aotearoa through creativity, history and innovation.

🌏 Natural Environment Exhibits

Aotearoa’s powerful natural forces shape the land, and Te Papa’s Natural Environment exhibits bring them to life in unforgettable ways. From earthquakes and volcanoes to native plants, birds and marine life, the displays make science hands-on, interactive and easy to connect with.

One of the most popular experiences is the Earthquake House. Step inside a typical Kiwi living room and feel the floor shake beneath your feet as a simulated quake strikes — a safe but unforgettable reminder of the reality of living on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Beyond geology, the galleries celebrate New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. You’ll encounter lifelike models of extinct creatures like the giant moa, alongside displays of living treasures such as the kiwi, tuatara and wētā. The marine exhibits dive beneath the waves to reveal the extraordinary life of the Southern Ocean, from colourful fish to the colossal squid’s natural habitat.

Interactive activities from touch screens to hands-on models — make complex subjects’ fun for kids while still deeply engaging for adults. You can explore how species evolved, how ecosystems work and how humans have both impacted and protected the natural world.

💡 Why it’s special: These exhibits don’t just share facts — they give you a real sense of the power of the land and sea that define Aotearoa and why protecting them matters.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family-Friendly Spaces

Te Papa welcomes all ages, with spaces designed to engage both children and adults.. Interactive discovery centres, hands-on exhibitions and child-friendly areas ensure kids are just as engaged as adults. Special school holiday programmes and rotating family exhibitions mean there’s always something new for younger visitors.

💡 Why it’s special: It makes learning fun and interactive, creating memories the whole whānau will cherish.

✨ Closing Thought

Te Papa truly captures the essence of Aotearoa in one place. It’s not just a museum to walk through — it’s a space to experience stories, culture, science and creativity in ways that leave a lasting impression. Whether you come for a few hours or spend the whole day, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of New Zealand’s past, present and future. For us, it remains one of the most powerful and rewarding places to visit in Whanganui-a-Tara – Wellington.