About | Te Papa
Te Papa is New Zealand’s national museum and one of the best things to do while you’re in Wellington. Its exhibitions are fun and interactive, and some of the best you’ll find in the country.
The Te Papa Museum has been a huge success with more than 21 million visitors and is enjoyed by both kiwis and tourists alike. Visit Te Papa and you won’t be disappointed. Located along the waterfront, drop in after a stroll along the harbour and stay for a while.
Te Papa is no ordinary museum, right from the start, it captures your attention with its captivating storytelling and attention to detail. Kids love how interactive it is. Round each corner and they’ll find something new to discover, explore and immerse themselves in. Te Papa is great for the whole family, after they’ve had a go you’ll want one, too!
Walk into the Earthquake House and be shaken as it stimulates a real aftershock, see the only colossal squid on display in the world, walk inside a beautifully carved marae, Te Papa even has its own little bush. Learn about New Zealand’s fascinating history, Maori culture, the natural environment and wildlife and more.
There’s a whole lot to see at Te Papa and going through the whole museum is definitely a huge task. Take your time, because you’ll want to, and come back when you get the chance to view other areas.
On your way out, drop into the Te Papa Store and grab some kiwi souvenirs, toys, books and other treasures.
Entry is free to Te Papa, though you may find a few exhibitions have a small fee. Guided tours are available.
Tip: come first thing upon opening to try to avoid the crowds.
Nearby
Cable Car
Cable Car Museum
Zealandia
Beehive
Wellington Botanic Garden
Katherine Mansfield House & Garden
Location
Our experience
Te Papa is a huge museum and the only two permanent exhibitions that we got to really stop and take in were Gallipoli: The scale of our war and Te Taiao/Nature. We thoroughly enjoyed both of these exhibitions and here is just a snippet of what you can see there.
Gallipoli: The scale of our war
Discover the strategies and triumphs of the Gallopili campaign, told by the New Zealanders that went through it. Stand in amazement at larger than life models (all made by the amazing Weta Workshop) of eight New Zealanders who served at Gallipoli while you listen to how they described different parts of the war. The models took a whopping 24,000 hours to create and capture a moment in time, 2.4 times human size. Follow the battlefield action on 3-D maps and projections as you listen to how it all unfolded. See the weapons used in combat. View miniatures and models of the Gallipoli war were a total of 2,779 kiwis lost their lives. Open the different sliding drawers to see what they ate and what the conditions were like over there.
We were absolutely blown away by the Gallipoli exhibition. From the moment we stepped inside we were immersed and captivated in it. You walk into this darkened room with a huge model and can hear his story being retold. This exhibition, with all of its different models, miniature sets, audio storytelling and interactive points really brought the story to life.
Te Taiao | Nature
Enter the nature zone where you can see over 1,200 collection items, brilliantly displayed for you to check out and learn more about New Zealand’s unique and wonderful wildlife, experience the feeling of being in an earthquake in the Quake House and listen to the beautiful sounds of native birdsong. Super interactive, have a go at creating your own tsunami or weigh yourself against the giant moa. When your brain is in information overload, sneak out to the exhibition’s break out zone where you can relax in the comfy chairs and look out to the views of Bush City below.
Head down to Bush City afterwards where you can dig for fossils in the sandpit, walk through wetlands, cross the swing bridge and visit a glowworm cave. After being inside for so long, this is a very welcome opportunity to get outside and let the kids loose while you enjoy the harbour views.
If you know a little about us, you’ll know that the kids love eels! We loved reading up more about them and they even had some very fun looking games to play – though they never actually got to have a go – it’s very popular!
It was pretty cool getting to see this, the only colossal squid on display in the world! Colossal squid are the most massive invertebrates on the planet and live in the cold depths of the Southern Ocean. Download the Te Papa Colossal Squid Activity Book and print it out for the kids for a little educational activity before your visit to the museum.
Below: I don’t think Noah was very happy with us when we told him to try this out. It really did smell bad. Urgh!
The Moa, though now extinct, was the tallest birds to have existed. Listen to how they may have sounded.
If we ever find ourselves back in Wellington, this is one of the first things I’m going back to! And this time, at a more leisurely pace (hopefully). Though we spent a good amount of time there, there’s just so much to take in that another visit would be worth the time.
