Spent two mornings at the museum. Very much enjoyed the Maori exhibits and the exquisite carvings. I also wanted to see the moas, particularly the eggs, mounted skeletons, and giant moa (as a research biologist, of special interest). I was also surprised to see an original copy of the Japanese surrender from WWII. I had never actually read the surrender notice. Thus, don't just skip the third floor for the Maori and natural history exhibits. The museum store was excellent and reasonably priced; I saw items there of quality, better than in the tourist shops I visited over a three week visit to New Zealand. Have lunch at the cafe. Best to visit during the week days as the weekends can be quite crowded; arrive early after it opens.

This museum is worth a visit even if only to admire the majestic building in which the exhibits are housed! Admission is free for locals, so I would suggest multiple visits rather than attempting to view the entire museum in one go. Especially if visiting with young children! There is a large area dedicated to NZ Maori culture and history - well displayed and very interesting. In total, there are 3 levels containing varied and fascinating exhibits, including Oceania, World Wars I and II. Weird and Wonderful (Level 1) is a fabulous hands on area for children of all ages! Exhibitions such as the Secret World of Butterflies and The Wildlife Photographer of the Year are absolute must-sees! These are not permanent displays so check the museum website for "What's On?"

This museum is very good - lots of interesting displays about Maori culture, natural history, and NZ’s experience in war. However, the real highlight for us was the Maori Cultural Experience. This 30 min performance of Maori songs, practices, and a haka is absolutely worth paying extra for. Worth the long walk up the hill!

After missing out on a day trip to Rangori, I wanted to get some knowledge on the Maori culture, and this museum did not disappoint, We arrived when the museum opened (recommended) paid for the Maori experience and culture show. Many artifacts of the Maori life style, history and facts on this amazing culture and their contribuutions to this country. The 20 minute Maori culture experience is worth it. Similar to a Luau, there are authentic tribesmen that explain the importance of their dance and culture. There is also an amazing tribute to WWII and New Zealand’s contribution. There is a cafe and plenty of restrooms. This is also a stop on the hop on hop off tour.

Nice museum we enjoyed the natural history and Morí displays. It is in a nice location. They are not shy about having visitors pay $25 each for admission but locals are free guess they figure we will not return. Overall worth it.

We were able to get tickets to the Auckland Museum by using our British Airways Avios points. The regular adult admission was $25.NZD per person. The museum is well maintained and the displays are beautifully presented. We were very impressed with the Maori sailing vessels and artistic carvings. The third floor is dedicated to the people who served in the many different wars. There is also information and displays about these wars. There is a well stocked Museum Shop on site with a big variety of beautiful merchandise.

A majestic building, we travelled here to visit the Wildlife Photography Exhibition which was included in the museum admission price. Had missed the exhibition in London so was stoked to see it in Auckland. Would highly recommend. Finished our morning with a coffee in the coffee house near the Winter Garden.

We went from our cruise ship to the museum by public transportation, which was excellent. The setting is beautiful, the building is beautiful and the exhibits are great. We had a volunteer guide who spent two hours with us and she was very knowledgable and a good communicator. We highly recommend the Auckland Museum!

We walked the 30 minutes from CBD which wasn’t too bad (just typical Auckland style of being uphill). We started our time here with the Maori culture performance. The performance is a half hour and definitely worth the additional ticket cost. We loved learning more about their traditions and culture. All of the performers were amazing and so passionate about sharing the Maori culture with us. We arrived for the 11am shoe and finished our time at the museum a little but after 1pm. Great way to start our day! Be warned if you bring a backpack you have to put it in a locker for the duration of your time at the museum.

This museum has many interested things to see. There are great cultural and historical displays about the Maori. You can also attend a Maori cultural performance, which I highly recommend. There is also an entire floor devoted to honoring the service of New Zealand citizens who fought in WWI and WWII. The names of those lost are commemorated on wall tiles. Another area features displays of various dinosaurs once found in New Zealand. There is also much about the geologic history of New Zealand including a room all about volcanoes, which gave birth to the country. If all that is not enough, the very best experience we had was seeing the virtual reality show about Antarctica. This was fantastic, taking you up close with the penguins and the land of Antarctica. Do not miss this!