26 Favourite Museums in New Zealand

Let’s face it, we love exploring museums in New Zealand. It’s like opening doors to different worlds and eras.

With each visit, we gain new insights into diverse cultures and histories. The variety of NZ museums is impressive.

From the stunning exhibits at Te Papa in Wellington to the historical journeys at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, and our personal favourite, intricate displays at the Tawhiti Museum in Hawera, there’s always something to capture our imagination.

Obviously, every museum in the country couldn’t be our favourite. So we asked our Explore New Zealand group and added their picks just below ours for both the North and South Island NZ museums.

Join us as we share our list of favourite New Zealand museums that we think you should visit too.

Map of Our favourite museums in New Zealand

The map highlights what we believe are some of the best museums in New Zealand in red, and the added favourite NZ museums from the group in yellow.

Best museums in New Zealand on the North Island

1. Auckland Museum

As Auckland residents, we try to bring all our visitors to the Auckland Museum. We rarely see it all on any single visit, but usually include the our highlight: the intricate carvings among the Maori artifacts, the volacno exhibit, and Pacific exhibits.

And if you are bringing kids, you will want to stop at Weird and Wonderful, a discovery centre where they will have some hands-on learning fun.

A regional museum, it’s also great place to discover our oceans, bird life, and dinosaur history. And don’t forget to visit level two, the Auckland War Memorial Museum which offers a poignant look at New Zealand’s military history. If you are not an Auckland resident, you can get a skip the line ticket here.

• Location: The Auckland Domain, Parnell, Auckland
• Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM weekdays
• Free for Auckland residents; fees apply for others
• We wrote more about this and other great museums in Auckland here.

2. Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington

Often simply called Te Papa, this is New Zealand’s national museum. It’s an incredible place where art, history, and the environment come together. We try to visit every time we are in Wellington.

If you don’t have a lot of time, our must-see list includes Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War (this one is quite intense), Māori and Pacific treasures, the only colossal squid on display worldwide, the earthquake simulation, and the national art collection.

And like the Auckland museum, there is an awesome discovery centre for kids up to age 12.

• Location: 55 Cable Street, Wellington
• Hours: 10 AM – 6 PM daily
• Free entry
• We wrote more on Te Papa and other free things to do in Wellington here.

3. Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT), Auckland

MOTAT gave us a fun dive into the worlds of science, technology, and transport history. After exploring the main museum, we hop on the vintage tram for a ride to enjoy the second location featuring historic aircraft.

We have been to both many times and think MOTAT is one of the best aviation museums in New Zealand and one of the best museums for kids.

• Main museum location: 805 Great North Road, Western Springs, Auckland
• Hours: 10 AM – 4 PM daily
• Entry price: Adults $19, Children (5-15 years) $10, Under 5s free, Family pass (2 adults + up to 4 children) $45
• We wrote more on MOTAT here

4. Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Paihia

This is not just a museum but a national reserve where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, creating New Zealand as a sovereign nation.

Walking through the beautifully preserved grounds and the extensive museum while learning about New Zealand’s foundational document was truly moving. An impressive cultural show is included with the entry.

• Location: Tau Henare Drive, Paihia
• Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM daily (open until 6 PM from Boxing Day through the end of February).
• Entry valid for 2 days: $30 for NZ residents with ID, $60 for International visitors, and children up to 18 are free. Get your Waitangi Treaty Grounds entry tickets here.
• We wrote more about Waitangi Treaty Grounds here.

5. Tawhiti Museum, Hawera

Possibly my favourite of the New Zealand museums, Tawhiti is a real treasure with its detailed dioramas and life-size exhibits that bring local history to life.

We were captivated by the realistic scenes depicting early Maori and European settlers’ lives, and then went on to enjoy a boat ride through the Whalers and Traders exhibit. A must-see among the things to do in Taranaki.

• Location: 401 Ohangai Road, Hawera
• Hours: Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday 10 AM – 4 PM
• Ticket Price: Adults $20, Children under 15 $7
• More on Tawhiti here.

6. New Zealand Maritime Museum, Auckland

Sailing enthusiasts like us adore this place. It tells the story of New Zealand’s maritime history and its relationship with the sea. What made this museum so fascinating to me, as an American expat living in New Zealand, was the Polynesian boating history that was different from the maritime history I had learned in the past.

You can add heritage sailing trips to your entry. We have been out on the Ted Ashby multiple times and loved it.

• Location: Corner of Quay and Hobson Streets, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland
• Hours: 10 AM – 5 PM daily
• Free for Auckland residents; fees apply for others
• We wrote more about the NZ Maritime Museum here

7. Puke Ariki, New Plymouth

An integrated museum in the same building as the library and visitor centre, Puke Ariki has a fascinating Maori carvings exhibit, as well as loads of interactive science and history fun aimed at kids but interesting to everyone. It’s located in one of my favourite cities and is probably the best of the things to do in New Plymouth on a rainy day.

• Location: 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
• Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM daily
• Free entry
• More about Puke Ariki here.

8. Torpedo Bay Navy Museum, Auckland

Located in Devonport, this museum gives an in-depth look at New Zealand’s naval history. The stories of naval warfare and peacekeeping missions are impressive and the building itself has some interesting features, as a portion of it is built on an old mine storage base. And if you don’t have a car, it’s a fun and easy ferry ride from Auckland to Devonport.

• Location: 64 King Edward Parade, Devonport, Auckland
• Hours: 10 AM – 5 PM daily
• Free entry for New Zealand residents, $10 for International visitors
• More about Torpedo Bay here.

9. Cobblestones Museum, Greytown

The village blends authentic artifacts with replicas, offering a hands-on experience that steps us back in time to the early settler days. As we walked through the village, we explored historic buildings seeing how people lived in the 1800s. The old schoolhouse was particularly charming, while the hospital was a bit frightening.

• Location: 169 Main Street, Greytown, Wairarapa
• Hours: 10 AM – 4 PM daily
• Ticket Price: Adults $10, Children 5 and up $4
• We wrote more about Cobblestones here.

Cobblestones is one of several settlers’ museums in New Zealand. A few others we have seen include: Howick Historical Village (Auckland), Pioneer Village (Stratford), Old Cromwell Town (Cromwell), and MOTAT (see #3 on this list)

Group member’s additional favourite North Island New Zealand museums

10. The National Clock Museum, Whangarei
    “A small museum packed with all sorts of timepieces from years ago.”
11. The Kauri Museum, Matakohe
    “I think the work that is going into creating the history of the Kauri tree and our native forests from our early beginnings to where it may be in another 100 years! Dr Jason Smith is doing an exceptional job.”
12. National Army Museum, Waiouru
    This is the place to delve into New Zealand’s military history and honour soldiers’ sacrifices through powerful memorabilia and engaging exhibits.
13. Dargaville Museum
    “It’s on top of the hill around the graveyard. It is my fav as I grew up going there with my nana. Our family had a piece that we donated to the museum“
14. Wellington Museum
    Here, in a beautifully restored historic building on the waterfront, we explored the captivating stories of Wellington’s maritime, cultural, and social history. Our favourite section was the eclectic top floor called ‘The Attic’. A reader added, “I like it better than Te Papa.”
15. Whanganui Museum
    “There is a whole gallery of Lindauer paintings in there, plus a huge amount of Maori artifacts.”
16. Waipu Museum
    This one almost made the original list, as it is the country’s only regional museum to receive a UNESCO inscription. We wrote more about Waipu Museum here.
17. MokoMuseum, Wellington
    While we haven’t been there yet, we understand it’s the best place to learn more about the art and tradition of Māori tattooing.
18. Tainui Museum, Mokau
    With an art gallery and museum, its a great spot to discover significant artifacts from the Tainui area.

Our favourite South Island museums in New Zealand

19. Tūhura Otago Museum, Dunedin

The Otago Museum is a hub of natural science and indigenous culture. The Tropical Forest butterfly house is a must-see, teeming with live butterflies. We loved the Southern Land, Southern People Gallery for its insights into the unique environment of the Southern region.

• Location: 419 Great King Street, Dunedin
• Hours: 10 AM – 5 PM daily
• Free entry; charges for special exhibitions
• We wrote more here on the Otago Museum.

20. International Antarctic Centre, Christchurch

Located right next to Christchurch Airport, this centre offers a fascinating close-up look at Antarctic life. The indoor snow and ice experience was surprisingly cold, and I was glad they provided jackets before entry. And if all this isn’t enough, it’s one of many places to see penguins in New Zealand.

• Location: 38 Orchard Road, Christchurch (next to Christchurch International Airport)
• Hours: 9 AM – 4:30 PM daily
• Ticket Price: General Admission – Adults $59, Children (5-15 years) $29, Under 5s free, Family pass (2 adults + 3 children) $159
• Check for discount entry tickets here.

Group member’s additional favourite South Island NZ museums

21. Canterbury Museum
    We wandered through the diverse collections at Canterbury Museum, from Antarctic explorations to Māori artifacts or the paua shell house of Fred and Myrtle, all set within the museum’s stunning heritage building.
22. National Transport and Toy Museum, Wanaka
    “One of the biggest private collections of toys, vintage cars and anything automobile, have aeroplane as well, a tank, a moving anti-air cannon or guns you can play with. I love the life-size Jar Jar Binks of Star Wars movie as well! Most of all, it’s located in the most scenic part of NZ, the Queenstown Lakes District”
23. Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin
    Here, we traced the lives of Otago’s early settlers, connecting them with personal stories, photographs, and artifacts that highlighted the region’s rich history.
24. Elvis Presley Museum, Hawera
    We missed this one, but our readers didn’t. Here is a celebration of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll featuring rare memorabilia and personal items of Elvis Presley.
25. The Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery
    Another one we discovered from a reader, the three rooms of the Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery house feature a private collection of skulls, bones, biological oddities, ethnological art, and unique cultural artifacts.

Bonus: A favourite Stewart Island museum

26. Rakiura Museum Te Puka O Te Waka, Oban, Stewart Island
    Rakiura Museum is home to an extensive collection of historic items, artifacts, photographs and archival material related to the story of Stewart Island / Rakiura.

Save for later

If you enjoyed this article on the best museums in New Zealand’s North Island, please share it on social media and save it for later on Pinterest.

What are your favourite museums in New Zealand?

Comment credits:

Comments by Explore New Zealand group members are in italics above, and are from Stuart McDonald, Jrgill Mayo, Lisa Amson, Jenni Currie, Clive Rivers, Wendy London, Lisa Amson, Angela Tautz and more to come from the discussion found here.

For more on New Zealand, start here: New Zealand Road Trips: Itineraries for North or South Island Adventures, or you might like …

New Zealand Lord of the Rings Filming Locations You Can Visit

Best Golf Courses in New Zealand: A Guide for Expats (and Visitors)

Where to See Kiwi in New Zealand: Insider Guide to 27 Spots

18 Places to See Penguins in New Zealand