Location: Wellington
Top Things to do in Wellington
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10 Specialty Museums in Wellington That You Shouldn't Miss
Wellington boasts a compact downtown area that’s easy to explore on foot and a wealth of architectural styles, from 19th-century wooden cottages to Art Deco masterpieces. Discover the city’s Maori roots at the Museum of Wellington City & Sea and the Museum of New Zealand. Sip coffee and people-watch in lively Courtney Place, or survey the city from scenic Mount Victoria. When the sun goes down on Windy Wellington, take a nocturnal tour of Karori Wildlife Sanctuary to meet some colorful inhabitants.
Restaurants in Wellington
1. Fragrifert Parfumeur, the Victorian Perfumery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 131 reviews
Fragrifert Parfumeur, The Victorian Perfumery, is a mini-museum and perfume emporium all in one. All perfumes are made by me, Francesco van Eerd, and are created using time honoured techniques and with a high percentage of natural materials. Just as they would have been made one hundred years ago. Where nature allows, I even distill my own materials. I welcome you to visit for yourself the fragrant excitement that is Fragrifert Parfumeur, at the Top of the Cable Car!
Reviewed By Kiwifromkiev - Auckland, New Zealand
We’ve found this place whilst visiting a coffee shop at the top of the cable car. We walked in and were totally fascinated by the smell and the sight. Beautiful period setting, very attentive host who is happy to share his passion for perfumes with visitors, and new and exciting smells. Yes, we’ve bought perfumes to remember this place by and I would recommend anybody to go and see and smell for yourself! You will not be disappointed!
2. Suzanne Aubert Heritage Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Discover the inspiring story of Suzanne Aubert, New Zealand's first saint-in-the-making, and the living mission of the Sisters of Compassion. Take some time out in the Chapel of Our Lady of Compassion, renowned for its John Drawbridge stained glass windows. Enjoy a walk in the tranquility of the gardens.All this is set in the beautiful and historic grounds of Our Lady's Home of Compassion.
3. He Tohu
4. The One Room Fan Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 10 reviews
Totally cool personal museum of Lord of the Rings fan stuff!! Visit by arrangement by email/SMS (listed opening hours indicate availability, but we're very flexible). We love visitors - fans, families - and it's lots of fun. Try on costumes, play with replica weapons and props, see cool stuff, laugh along with our fun film. FREE - donations welcomed. See pics on museum website.
Reviewed By SophiaEnright
Kathy has a wonderful collection of treasures that bring back a lot of nostalgia for LOTR fans! I visited middle earth with a good friend (and fellow fan). We had a great time and enjoyed the various interactive elements of the collection, such as a film of how Kathy came to found the museum with her friends and whanau - based on interactions with the LOTR cast when they were filming in NZ, with some cool mementos and heaps more. Would recommend, wholesome experience guaranteed.
5. Katherine Mansfield House and Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 103 reviews
Enter the 1888 home of a fashionable colonial family and discover the world and writing of internationally acclaimed New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfield at her birthplace. Enjoy a heritage garden and changing exhibitions. Open Tuesday to Sunday. Entry fees apply, guided tours by arrangement. Reopened October 2019 following redevelopment.
Reviewed By 953KateB - Melbourne, Australia
For any person who enjoys literature and the story of authors, this is an excellent Museum. It would also be of interest for people with a fascination for domestic colonial life in the Victorian era. The new timeline of Katherine Mansfield‘s life is excellent and equates to reading a biography. The bookshop has a range of volumes of her short stories, biographies, information books about Mansfield’s life in Wellington and Victoriana. The open hours are posted on the gate or you can call them.
6. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14,040 reviews
Experience the whole of New Zealand in one building! Te Papa is New Zealand's bold, innovative and interactive national museum. Explore the great treasures and stories of this country, its unique natural environment, Maori culture and taonga (treasures), dynamic art heritage, and its fascinating history. Te Papa is located on Wellington's spectacular waterfront. Open 10am to 6pm every day except Christmas Day. General admission is free.
Reviewed By trishydishy
What a great museum - added bonus of seeing the terracotta warriors and Peter Jackson's marvellous and moving Gallipoli exhibition - saved our trip to Wellington which we found mostly CLOSED!!
7. National War Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 343 reviews
Reviewed By mvjtk9 - Safety Harbor, United States
Dedicated to New Zealanders and military allies from other areas including Great Britain, U.S., Turkey, Australia, Pacific Islands, etc. the memorial is very impressive and has a crupt with an unknown soldier.
8. Nairn Street Cottage
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 27 reviews
Registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as having 'outstanding significance,' Nairn Street Cottage was built by William Wallis in the 1850s as a home for his family. It is Wellington's oldest original cottage and tells the story of the Wallis Family, who lived in the cottage for three generations. Admission includes a tour of the clapboard cottage and the stunning heritage gardens, where the story of these early settlers and their descendants is brought to life. Open hours: Summer season; January-March 2016: Open daily, with tours at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm. Winter season, March-December 2016: Tours at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm every Saturday and Sunday. Closed: Monday-Friday.
Reviewed By JacqiB - Wellington, New Zealand
Fascinating slice of history shown int his cottage that was owned and lived in by three generations of one family who built it in the mid-1800s. I highly recommend the guided tour with the very informative and interesting guide (my group had Emma). Don't miss the rooms upstairs or the scullery and outhoue and the garden with the chooks (hens).
9. New Zealand Cricket Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12 reviews
Established in 1987, the New Zealand Cricket Museum is located in the historic Museum Stand at Wellington's iconic Basin Reserve.The New Zealand Cricket Museum shows that there's more to cricket than Tests and tea breaks with items that show the game's development since its early-1800s introduction into New Zealand summers. Highlights include one of the world's oldest bats, and gear used by NZ legends like Bert Sutcliffe, Sir Richard Hadlee and Stephen Fleming.
10. Reserve Bank Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
