Museums and Galleries

AttractionsArt & Culture Attractions

Museums and Galleries

Not Just Dusty Artefacts

Museums and galleries in NZ punch well above their weight when you get off the main drag and look around. Some of the best ones are in places you'd never expect. The visitor centre up at Mount Cook is as good as any dedicated museum I've been to - full of mountaineering history and pioneering spirit. Worth 30 minutes of your time before you head into the park. Same goes for Oamaru's SteamPunk HQ, which is wonderfully weird in the best way. The old whitestone quarter down there is a proper treat.

The Ones That Stick With You

For something genuinely unlike anything else, the Lost Gypsy Gallery out in Papatowai in the Catlins is my pick. Blair's a tinkerer and inventor and the whole place is full of handmade interactive bits and pieces. You walk out smiling. Down in Invercargill, the transport museum is surprisingly good fun even if you couldn't care less about vehicles. Up in Nelson, the Suter Art Gallery is worth an hour if you appreciate the artsy side of things. Further north, if you're passing through Blenheim, the aviation heritage museum there is serious - promo code RANKERS gets you a discount on aviation heritage in Blenheim, and it's one of those places that earns its entry fee.

Auckland and Wellington have the big hitters. In Auckland, the RANKERS promo code works on a few things including the museum and the All Blacks Experience. Over in Wellington, Weta is genuinely fascinating if film and special effects are your thing. New Zealand's museum scene rewards the curious - go in without expectations and you'll usually be pleasantly surprised.

78 items with the highest ranking score first, showing page 1 of 3.

Treasures in the Lost Gypsy bus

South IslandSouthland

5 25 reviews

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4.4 3 reviews

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4.2 52 reviews

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4.2 25 reviews