Auckland Museums – 10 Greatest Museums to Go to in Auckland, New Zealand
Museums in Auckland are quite varied. During a normal visit to New Zealand’s largest metropolis, you can find various Maori treasures, artefacts from military history, exciting aviation exhibits, and shiploads of nautical exhibits. Let’s take a look at some of Auckland’s best museums.
10 must-see museums in Auckland that you shouldn’t miss
1: New Zealand Maritime Museum
Address: Quay Street & Lower Hobson Street, Auckland, North Island 1010
Phone: +64 9-373 0800
Website: https://www.maritimemuseum.co.nz
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
New Zealand Maritime Museum
The New Zealand Maritime Museum displays some of the city’s most fascinating marine treasures. From exhibits about the lives of the first settlers in the country to models of traditional Maori boats and European cargo ships. If you’re interested in learning more about Auckland’s rich maritime history, the museum also offers regular cruises through Waitemata Harbor. You can choose one of the guided tours of the Maritime Museum, which is optionally included in the admission price and takes place daily at 10:30 a.m.
2: Auckland War Memorial Museum
Address: Domain Drive, Auckland, North Island 1010
Phone: +64 9-309 0443
Website: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Auckland War Memorial Museum
For more than 150 years, the Auckland War Memorial Museum has delighted visitors with verses from New Zealand and abroad depicting the remarkable exhibits of nature and social history. As the name suggests, the museum was originally built as a tribute to all of the locals who lost their lives during the First World War. It has since been renovated and turned into a home for Maori and Pacific artifacts, historical galleries, and a large collection of archives.
3: MOTAT, Auckland – Museum of Transport and Technology
Address: 805 Great North Road, Auckland 1022
Phone: +64 9-815 5800
Website: https://www.motat.nz/
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Image courtesy: Museum of Transport and Technology. MOTAT
The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) is a place that combines technology with history. MOTAT’s charm includes vintage cars and jets, tram rides and trucks from creative exhibitions. They also offer regular educational programs for children, making it a great stopover for those traveling with their families.
4: (MMCE) Mangere Mountain Education Center, Auckland
Address: 100 Coronation Road, Māngere Bridge, Auckland 2022
Phone: +64 9-634 7305
Website: http://www.mangeremountain.co.nz/
Image Courtesy: The Mangere Mountain Education Center
Learn all about Maori heritage and history in the most natural way possible. The Mangere Mountain Education Center guides visitors over the mountain of the same name and houses a visitor center that serves as a local museum. A visit to the center will teach you all about the archaeological features of the mountains and what they mean to local Aboriginal communities. As a bonus, there are also plenty of scenic attractions to enjoy.
5: TSB Wallace Arts Center
Address: 72 Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough, Auckland, New Zealand
Phone: +64 9-639 2010
Website: https://www.wallaceartstrust.org.nz/
TSB Wallace Arts Center
The Pah Art Gallery, the Pah Art Museum and the Pah TSB Art Center are located in one of Auckland’s most exclusive cultural venues – the Pah Homestead in Montesilia Park in Hillsborough. The Arts Center has a dynamic list of events and performances, always with the work and support of New Zealand artists and volunteers at the forefront.
6: Stardome Observatory
Address: 670 Manukau Road, Auckland 1023
Phone: +64 9-624 1246
Website: https://www.stardome.org.nz/
opening hours
Closed on monday
Tue – Fri 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Stardome Observatory Planetarium
This gallery / observatory / space dome is one of the main attractions in Cornwall Park (Auckland’s One Tree Hill is another). Stardome has been around since 1967 and has since become one of the most popular places for school outings and educational expeditions. The adjacent planetarium was completed in 1997 and is the largest of its kind in New Zealand.
7: The Huia Settler Museum
Address: 1251 Huia Road, Huia, North Island 0604
Phone: +64 9-811 8971
Website: http://huiamuseum.org.nz/index.html
Opening hours: Sat-Sun 1.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Closed Mon – Fri
Image Courtesy: The Huia Settlers Museum Facebook page
Huia Settlers Museum opened on March 10, 1984, and the museum was established to collect and preserve tools and documents that show the way of life of the early settlers who lived in Huia and the surrounding areas so you can find their home appliances, farming implements, and other tools that have been used before. The Huia The Settlers Museum is located in the heart of Huia in the beautiful Karamatura valley.
8: McCahon House Museum
Address: 67 Otitori Bay Road, Auckland 0604
Phone: +64 9-817 6148 – Museum: +64 9-817 7200
Website: https://mccahonhouse.org.nz/
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 1-4 p.m. or by appointment. Closed on public holidays.
Image Courtesy: Tripadvisor The McCahon House Museum
McCahon House Museum is an art museum and was originally the house where New Zealand’s most famous painter Colin McCahon and his family lived in the 1950s. The house is surrounded by beautiful nature and the museum has won many awards.
9: Auckland Art Gallery
Address: Wellesley Street East, Auckland, North Island 1010
Phone: +64 9-379 1349
Website: https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki
The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, founded in 1888. The most comprehensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand is housed in a historic award-winning building on the edge of Albert Park in the heart of the city. It has a shop and a cafe. The gallery regularly hosts international traveling exhibitions and offers a range of lectures, performances, film screenings, and children’s activities to complement the exhibition program. Entrance fees apply to international visitors. Fees may apply for special exhibitions.
10: Howick Historical Village
Address: Bells Road, Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga, Auckland
Website: https://www.historicalvillage.org.nz/
Opening hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed on Christmas, Boxing Day and Good Friday.)
Howick Historic Village is a reproduction of a colonial settlement in New Zealand with the remaining structures. Set in over 7 acres of patrimonial gardens, the museum is an excellent location for documentary, drama, photography and cinematography with more than 30 traditional buildings. Completely renovated, beautiful residences and antique gardens provide the perfect setting for a classic vintage wedding anniversary.
What else to do in Auckland, New Zealand
Go for a wine tasting on Waiheke Island. Waiheke has some of the most beautiful beaches in the area, as well as some of the best wines. It can be busy on weekends, but it’s pretty quiet during the week. It can get crowded on weekends, but very quiet during the week. It seems a world away from Auckland, but it’s only 35 minutes by ferry.
Rangitoto Island from the summit of Mount Victoria
Take the ferry to Rangitoto Island. Rangitoto Island has hiking trails around most of the island, as well as a bridge that connects to neighboring Mototabo Island, which is a great hike for even the least experienced hiker. Rangitoto Island has several lava caves to crawl through or climb through as well as a breathtaking 360-degree view of the summit (only about an hour’s walk on the most direct route). This is one of the most convenient islands to be found nearby as it is only a 20-25 minute ferry ride away.
One Tree Hill, Auckland
Address: 670 Manukau Road, Auckland, New Zealand
If you want to spend some time in the middle of the extensive green spaces, head to a tree hill which is one of the largest green spaces in Auckland and which includes Cornwall Park where you can watch cows and goats grazing in One Tree Hill, you should know it is a 13-minute drive from downtown Auckland.
Driving in New Zealand is on the right side, like in the UK system, and you can try driving there, but we recommend skipping the idea of going there and relying on excursions (try Auckland Hop on Hop off or explore Auckland on foot) with tourist offices available everywhere, organizing tours and all the attractions for you.
If you like the article, please share it with friends, your valuable comments are very important to us.
Save to Pinterest On
