New Zealand's “national” museum (don’t tell Aucklanders that!) opened its doors in 1998 and is the capital's top attraction. Te Papa, as it’s known, aims to bring the fun into the museum experience without dumbing it down. Interactive technology and world-class exhibitions eloquently tell the story of Aotearoa—its art, culture, history, and environment—over six levels.

It would take days to properly digest all of the permanent and short-term exhibits, but first-time visitors should start with the stupendous Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War. Created with the team at Wētā Workshop, it first opened in 2015 for a limited-time run that keeps get extended (it is still open nearly a decade later, with no closing date in sight). The exhibit commemorates the first battle involving New Zealand troops in World War I, which resulted in a 93 percent casualty rate. It really has to be seen to be believed—the eight individuals on which much of the exhibition is based were real-life soldiers, and they’ve been brought back much larger than life (seriously, they are actually 2.4 times larger than life). The exhibit does an excellent job of showing what life in the trenches was really about for Kiwi troops.


The permanent exhibitions include the recently updated and incredibly kid-friendly Te Taiao nature gallery. Examining NZ’s biodiversity and the effects climate change, it features now-extinct animals like moas and Haast eagles hanging from the roof, alongside a giant squid. There are plenty of interactive features, including a shaking earthquake house and a tsunami tank.

Other permanent exhibits worth seeing include Blood Earth Fire/Whangai Ahi Ka, revealing the changing landscape of this country; Te Marae, an authentic carved Māori communal meeting place and a compelling introduction to Indigenous culture; and Slice of Heaven 20th Century Aotearoa an introduction to the Treaty of Waitangi and what united and divided Kiwis since colonization. My personal favorite is the Te Toi Art Gallery’s portrait room, featuring paintings by Gottfried Lindauer, which I head straight to every time I visit. An interactive tool explains the painting’s historical relevance, highlights key details in each painting, and even reveals what they look like under infrared light. Each time I find and learn something new.


Although general admission is free, Te Papa offers a range of tours that cost extra, from the hour-long Introducing Te Papa Tour (NZ$20 adults and NZ$10 children 15 and under) and the Mana Māori Tour (NZ$20 adults; NZ$10 kids) to private tours (from NZ$175). They provide welcome additional context and (often) point out objects that visitors rarely notice. You can also pick up a self-guided tour booklet, and audio guides are available in several languages. The gift shop, Te Papa Store, is full of covet-worthy arts, crafts, and Kiwiwana books and toys.

Te Papa’s only downfall is its café. It’s not hard to come by good coffee in Wellington, so there’s no reason to experience the subpar version served here.