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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington: Hours, Address, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Reviews: 4.5/5

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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

See all things to do
See all things to do
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
4.5
14,074
#1 of 218 things to do in Wellington
Speciality Museums
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10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
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.
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Admission tickets
from $9.90
All you need to step foot in the door.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
14,074 reviews
Excellent
10,847
Very good
2,576
Average
525
Poor
78
Terrible
48
Rachael B
1,892 contributions
Free and family friendly
Feb 2020
Te Papa is a large museum free of charge except certain premier exhibits. My husband and I actually came here twice to help kill some time and explore. It is a well put together museum good for families too. We were really sad we did not have enough time to do the Alice and Wonderland exhibit or the Gallipoli War exhibit. We have heard such good things about the war one. Totally recommend if looking for something to do in Wellington if it is raining or you just need something inexpensive to do for the day.
Written September 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
ChariotOfFaith
Christchurch, New Zealand12 contributions
Excellent, very informative and interesting history!
Dec 2020
There is a lot to see and do to keep you entertained and busy here.
The history, the art, topics and archaeological objects, native wildlife are all very interesting and worthwhile, especially when it is for FREE. You only have to pay for the fashion area which I did not see.
I strongly recommend allowing yourself at least a few hours to give you plenty of time because it is a very large place with several levels. If you have large items, bags or clothing items you do not wish to carry you can leave them in a baggage area which is safe, secure and convenient.
There is a large parking area for those that drive a decent souvenir shop and 2 cafes on different floors.
Written December 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
roaming_kiwi58
Christchurch, New Zealand2,707 contributions
Pleasant several hours
May 2021
On a very wet Monday Te Papa was a good place to take refuge in from the weather. We stayed about 3 hours. We had been many times before, but some of the exhibitions change periodically. We enjoyed wandering around at our own pace.
There are a couple of eating options and a couple of shops - one concentrates on children focused goods. The main shop just inside the entrance always has some interesting stock, but it tends to be somewhat expensive. We saw some art prints there which we had bought elsewhere for $50; in the Te Papa shop they were priced at $65. Regardless we always find it interesting to browse the shop and we do sometimes purchase items there.
Te Papa is always a good place to kill some time, particularly in poor weather!
Written June 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
RoseBowlTraveler
Cincinnati, OH385 contributions
Great experience in Wellington! Asset to New Zealand!
Feb 2020 • Friends
While the museum is free of charge; we pre-paid for the guided orientation tour (+/- 1hr) that I believe takes place on the hour.

We were on first tour of the day with Norrie (sp?) who offers an excellent presentation. There were only 5 in our group so we moved along and accomplished all the objectives within the beautiful museum.

With a comprehensive overview completed, we then explored the exhibits at our own pace and level of interest.

The Gallipoli Exhibit was so unique and well presented, not to mention moving and poignant.

This is a great museum experience that I highly recommend. We spent about 3 hours at the museum.

Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Marion H
Langley, Canada25 contributions
Inquisitive Adventures
Jan 2020
Wellington is known for it's windy weather, so it that is the start to your day, going to the Te Papa Museum is a great place to take shelter in Windy Wellington harbour. It has great displays, always there is the Native flora and fauna exhibit, but within that winding trail of ancient and current local species, it is ever evolving. Then there are always new exhibits like the Alice in Wonderland one, on this visit. Some are pay to see, but also you can see a lot of interesting exhibits for a donation of your choice. A great outing for families or singles, even places to sit and have coffee or food out of the wind and by chance meet other visitors.
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Guitarman4
Essex, UK194 contributions
Well worth visiting
Oct 2019 • Couples
We had an organised tour, courtesy of Grand Pacific Tours 19 day New Zealand highlights tour (would never use them again, courier made everyone’s life he’ll). We had an early entry arranged which was great as we got to see an exhibition before everyone else was allowed in.

Te Papa in Wellington is a huge place and one could easily spend a day there. There is much to see and do and it’s a good place to take children as well as there are moving exhibits. The earthquake house is interesting to experience if you’ve never experienced one.

The museum is very airy and spacious and has a cafe which serves reasonably priced food.
Written June 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Luvinspoonful
Rotorua, New Zealand634 contributions
Exceptional Exhibit, Exceptional Staff!
Oct 2021
The Surrealists!

Go! Book now! Go!

We were a mixed group of Dali enthusiasts, ho hummers and no knowers and we all were extremely impressed.

Museum staff are absolutely amazing. My thanks to the curators who set this up, it’s world class! The exhibit draws you through history and has something for everyone (the dream table is inspirational).

We arrived early to spend a little time shopping at Te Papa (we had a late booking and weren’t sure of shop hours) and were rudely directed to shop by a female staff member at the bottom of the steps (I sincerely hope that she is not employed as a greeter).

But from there, the staff were exceptional. The Exhibition shop was managed by 2 very lovely young girls, the exhibition staff were happy to discuss the experience (even security) and William the Great (Bill - every other day) took the time to get us the best photo of our holiday in wellington (thank you so much).

I cried coming out of the exhibition - I was feeling a little overwhelmed. Some of our group got done in half an hour but I would happily have spent several hours there.

Thank you so much
Written October 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Casa62
Brisbane, Australia449 contributions
Interactive creche during peak periods
Dec 2019
This is a must see for Wellington and is a capsule for New Zealand and islander indigenous history, flora and fauna.
A striking building on the waterfront we covered all of the exhibits over two visits. There are two cafes on site serving tasty well priced food.
It was a learning experience as a visitor returning to my home country.
The displays are well done and easily accessible. This venue is best visited outside peak times. There are a large number of interactive displays which children love with not alot of supervision from their parents. This detracts from the experience for everyone else.
The museum store is also worth a visit as it has alot of quality and interesting products to buy.
Written September 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
KevinLety
Boiling Springs, SC24 contributions
The National Museum, Te Papa, is a must visit in Wellington
Feb 2020
Very spacious museum with excellent services within. I was able to use a mobility scooter which helped me get around this large museum. Amazingly this museum is free. You do pay for guided tours, but that is optional. They have excellent displays about the history and culture of the Maori people. Also, the single best war exhibit of a single war campaign I have ever seen is their Gallipoli exhibit about the WWI campaign in Turkey that had major participation from Australian and New Zealand troops. The stories of several participants are told in detail, in part using lifelike giant figures that are so well done they absolutely look real. Each of their stories are depicted and as you go through the exhibit, the entire two month campaign is covered chronologically. This exhibit is always busy, and the impact on the Kiwi people who visit is palpable. The mood is somber as visitors try to take in what happened in this tragic campaign that in the end, failed. There are also many other great exhibits in the museum. The Polynesian migration across the Pacific is covered, not only to New Zealand, but also to other Pacific islands. There are natural history exhibits, geologic exhibits, and native animal exhibits including a rare display of an actual giant squid. Also, the Europeon migration to New Zealand is covered in detail up to and beyond the Waitangi Treaty. If you want to see a museum that is truly educational, Te Papa is the place to go. I highly recommend.
Written March 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Peter W
18 contributions
An absolute must!
Mar 2020
Te Papa is a fascinating place to gain an insight into the history and culture of New Zealand especially the Maori culture. Its free for the main exhibits though some specialist elements have an entry charge. It will take you at least 3 - 4 hours to view all the exhibits. The cafe is located on the ground flow and serves a good range of meals. It's a great rainy day experience.
Written March 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $9.83, while a popular guided tour starts around $15.29 per person. See all 21 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 21 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
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