8 Museum Tours in New Zealand Worth Booking

1.Auckland War Memorial Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 293 reviews · 1 day · from $16Our pick

Spend a full day at Auckland Museum, Tamaki Paenga Hira, exploring Māori and Pacific treasures, Polynesian voyaging, natural history, Auckland communities, and military exhibits. General admission includes the museum only. Optional rooftop, gallery, and Māori cultural experiences cost extra.

“Enjoyable. I would have liked more available information on the pacific voyages to New Zealand and things like star charts etc to help better understand”

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2.Explore gardens & galleries filled with incredible art, Matakana

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 186 reviews · from $40Top rated

Visit Sculptureum in rural Matakana for three sculpture gardens and six galleries spread along 1.4 km of flat paths. You will see more than 800 local and international works, including blown glass, bronze, driftwood, and playful outdoor pieces. Allow up to two hours, then stop for food, coffee, or wine.

“The artwork and glass art inside the building is fabulous. The gardens and the sculptures are beautiful. The driftwood sculptures of the horses and the whale are amazing. The bronze sculptures were just lovely. I loved the boy pushing the girl on the swing. The sculpture of the boy holding the dolphin is apparently an early work by Leonardo Da Vinci and is quite stunning.”

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3.Skip the Line: Auckland Museum General Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 183 reviews · from $16

Spend 3 to 4 hours exploring Auckland Museum’s three floors, from Polynesian voyaging and Māori treasures to Pacific art, natural history, and wartime displays. General admission includes the main museum but not special exhibitions, guided tours, or cultural performances.

“Te Ra! To see this magnificent creation and to hear its story was a revelation. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The British museum should return this important treasure to its original owners.”

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4.Wellington: Museum of NZ General Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 156 reviews · 2 days · from $20

Visit Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, with 48-hour general admission. See Māori and Pacific treasures, natural history, Aotearoa’s past, and the National Art Collection. International visitors aged 16 and over need a ticket. Children under 16 enter free with a ticket.

“Very intersting and insightful exhibitions. Unfortunately, super crowded and noisy when we were there, which made things quite chaotic.”

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5.Māori Cultural Experience & Auckland Museum General Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 92 reviews · from $38

Begin with a Māori performance of waiata, poi, storytelling, and haka traditions, then explore Auckland Museum’s natural history and New Zealand heritage displays. Allow 45 minutes to 3 hours overall. Māori Court and Pacific Galleries are temporarily closed for maintenance.

“We had an amazing time. The experience was informative and enlightening. We would highly recommend booking”

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6.Māori Cultural Experience & Auckland Museum Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 59 reviews · 1 day · from $37

Spend a day at Auckland Museum with entry to Living Taonga, a 30-minute Māori performance of waiata, poi, storytelling, and haka. The English and Māori presentation explains the meaning behind each tradition, while your ticket also covers the museum’s natural history and New Zealand heritage galleries.

“I spent all day at the Museum reading about Maori heritage and looking at displays about how New Zealand formed, their animals and the unique environment. The on-site cafe provided good quality and feesh food along with great coffee. The Maori Cultural Performance was entertaining, informational and fun. Such great voices.”

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7.Maritime Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 29 reviews · 1 day · from $14Best value

Visit Auckland’s New Zealand Maritime Museum at Viaduct Harbour and follow New Zealand’s ocean story through Pacific migration, trade, immigration, yacht design, and hands-on displays. Allow 1 to 3 hours, show your voucher at the counter, and arrive before the 4 PM last entry.

“Great museum and beautifully designed. We were lucky to be there while the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix was underway ~ so it was exciting and great location to watch the race.”

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8.Gallery Highlights Tour and General Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · from $29

Join a small-group, one-hour highlights tour through Auckland Museum’s three floors, then explore at your own pace. Expect Māori and Pacific culture, Polynesian navigation, natural history, geology, and wartime galleries. A flight of stairs is required, and some galleries are temporarily closed.

“I’m so glad we included the Auckland War Memorial Museum in our itinerary — it’s easily one of the best cultural experiences in the city.”

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