The 12 Best Museums and Art Galleries in New Zealand

Auckland War Memorial Museum. Getty Images/Aumphotography

 Aumphotography / Getty Images

New Zealand is better known for its beautiful nature than its art galleries and museums, but there are several well-worth visiting. Museums and galleries in the cities are also ideal places to avoid rainy weather. From the big-name museums that most travelers will have heard of—such as Wellington's Te Papa—to lesser-known places in smaller towns, museums and galleries are great places to learn more about New Zealand culture, history, and creativity.

01 of 12

Auckland War Memorial Museum

Getty Images/Aumphotography

 Aumphotography / Getty Images

Address
Auckland 1010, New Zealand

The Auckland War Memorial Museum (more commonly called just the Auckland Museum) is a grand colonnaded building at the top of a hill in Auckland's sprawling Domain park. It does have sections dedicated to commemorating New Zealand's involvement in war, but there's much more to it than that. Permanent and temporary exhibits tell the story of New Zealand's indigenous people, environment, colonial history, arts and crafts, and modern creativity.

02 of 12

International Antarctic Centre

International Antarctic Centre Christchurch - New Zealand
chameleonseye / Getty Images
Address
38 Orchard Road, Harewood, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the closest countries to Antarctica, and New Zealanders have been involved in many scientific studies and explorations of the great icy continent. You'll be able to learn all about this at the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, where there are interactive exhibits to entertain and educate the whole family, as well as penguins. It's handily located near the airport, so is a good place to spend some time if you have to check out of your hotel before a late flight.

03 of 12

Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)

Photographs depicting trams in auckland at the MOTAT museum

Richard Cummins / Getty Images

Address
805 Great North Road, Western Springs, Auckland 1022, New Zealand
Phone +64 9 815 5800

MOTAT is conveniently located near the Auckland Zoo, making it a great second stop on a zoo day. As the full name suggests, MOTAT focuses on science, technology, and machines, and is a very hands-on sort of museum. A unique New Zealand slant is put on all the exhibitions, and the curators aim to present Kiwi ingenuity at its best.

04 of 12

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand
chameleonseye / Getty Images
Address
Wellesley Street East, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Phone +64 9 379 1349

The Auckland Art Gallery displays and promotes New Zealand art both old and new. It has the largest collection of art in New Zealand, with over 17,000 items. The buildings that comprise the gallery are attractions themselves and include a late 19th-century heritage wing and thoughtfully designed modern additions.

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05 of 12

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

A person looking at skeletons of native birds

TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre

Address
55 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
Phone +64 4 381 7000

If you can only visit one museum or gallery in the whole of New Zealand, make it Wellington's Te Papa. The name means "container of treasures," and the large building houses a wide variety of artifacts, artworks, and information relating to New Zealand culture and history. Don't miss Te Marae, a modern, indoor take on a traditional Maori meeting house that's actually used for many ceremonial and cultural functions.

06 of 12

Toitū Otago Settlers' Museum, Dunedin

shot of Toitū Otago museum and the pointed roof from across the street at twilight

Courtesy of Toitū Otago Settlers' Museum

Address
31 Queens Gardens, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
Phone +64 3 477 5052

Dunedin is one of the most significant cities in the history of the European colonization of New Zealand and Toitū Otago Settlers' Museum recounts the human history of the area. The 14 themed galleries trace the history of human settlement of Dunedin, from the earliest to the most recent. It will be easy to spot due to the dramatic arrowhead roof.

07 of 12

World of WearableArt & Classic Car Museum

Exteriror of World of WearableArt & Classic Cars Museum in the early evening

Courtesy of World of WearableArt & Classic Cars Museum

Until it moved to Wellington in 2005, the annual World of WearableArt competition was held in Nelson. The small South Island city keeps its connection to the creative event alive through this museum, where winning outfits are displayed. As such, the outfits on display change regularly, making this an ideal museum for repeat visits. The same complex houses a collection of more than 140 classic cars, which is a bit of an odd combination but will keep visitors with various interests happy.

08 of 12

Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre

vintage war plane on grass in front of the airplane hangar that is the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre

 Danita Delimont / Getty Images

Address
79 Aerodrome Road, Omaka, Blenheim 7272, New Zealand
Phone +64 3 579 1305

If you can tear yourself away from Marlborough wine-tasting tours, Blenheim's Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is a fun place to be immersed in aviation history. The museum had its first exhibition in 2006 after close to a decade of planning. displays vintage World War I and World War II-era airplanes and artifacts donated by aviation enthusiasts like Peter Jackson, director of the "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" series. In fact, the museum has one of the largest collections of WWI aircraft.

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09 of 12

Canterbury Museum

Canterbury Museum, Christchurch - New Zealand
chameleonseye / Getty Images
Address
11 Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand
Phone +64 3 366 5000

Christchurch's recent history has been defined by a serious earthquake in 2011, and one of the best places to learn about this is at the Canterbury Museum. The Quake City section explains the science behind the earthquake in a way that kids and adults can understand. It also contains some important items damaged in the earthquake, such as the spire of the iconic Christ Church Cathedral that was destroyed.

10 of 12

New Zealand Rugby Museum

New Zealand, North Island,low angle of exterior of new zealand rugby museum
Walter Bibikow / Getty Images
Address
326 Main Street, Palmerston North Central, City Centre 4410, New Zealand
Phone +64 6 358 6947

If you're traveling in New Zealand in winter, sports fans can watch a real-life rugby match. If you miss the New Zealand rugby season, head to Palmerston North's Rugby Museum instead. You'll be able to see old-time rugby memorabilia and some amusing photos of past players at this museum that preserves, protects, and displays New Zealand's rugby history.

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The Sarjeant Gallery

New Zealand, North Island, Wanganui, Sarjeant Gallery, dawn
Walter Bibikow / Getty Images
Address
38 Taupo Quay, Whanganui 4500, New Zealand
Phone +64 6 349 0506

Whanganui's Sarjeant Gallery is a work in progress, as the historic building is currently being restored and expanded to provide a better home for the Sarjeant's extensive collection of New Zealand and international art. Although Whanganui is a small city, this gallery contains one of the country's most impressive collections of art and has one of New Zealand's best photographic collections.

12 of 12

Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Low angle shot of the entrance to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Courtesy of Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Address
30 Octagon, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
Phone +64 3 474 3240

Right in the central-city Octagon, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery is an ideal place to go on a cold or rainy day (as is often the case in Dunedin). In addition to the great collection of New Zealand and international art, the layout of the building is spacious, sunny, and inspiring. Donaghy's Foyer is hung with sculptures, and visitors are often surprised that the relatively small exterior opens up into such a large interior.

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The 12 Best Museums and Art Galleries in New Zealand