Museums in New Zealand

There are many interesting New Zealand museums that you can include in your New Zealand vacation, so worry not if you are looking to do just that. The Museums of New Zealand have among them an array of choices that revolve around a number of different interests. You can visit a historic castle, tour a historic village, learn all about the native Maori, or get the lowdown on rugby and cricket, among other things. Many, if not all, of the more notable New Zealand museums offer tours that are certainly worth adding to your list of possible New Zealand tours. You"ll find that should you get to experience one or more of the museums in New Zealand, it will add considerable depth and insight into the country itself, helping to make your vacation all the more rich and rewarding.

The New Zealand National Museum in the capital city of Wellington is certainly one you will not want to miss if you are in the Wellington area. Known as the Museum of New Zealand-Te Papa Tongarewa, it is one of the world"s biggest national museums, and it"s also one of the newest. You can learn all about New Zealand and its people at the New Zealand National Museum, and its interactive displays are some of the best you"ll find anywhere. Art, culture and so much more is offered in the exhibits at the New Zealand National Museum, with some of the highlights including a working Maori village (marae) and a whale skeleton. Literature buffs will want to consider also visiting the Katherine Mansfield birthplace when in Wellington. You can learn all about one of New Zealand"s most famous authors here, as well as tour the historic home and gardens.

The Auckland Museum is found in the country"s largest city of Auckland, understandably so, and it is known for offering the world"s largest collection of Maori and Polynesian artifacts. Like the New Zealand National Museum in Wellington, you can learn all about New Zealand"s history and culture here, and it"s Discovery Center is an award-winning interactive room that kids of all ages will certainly enjoy. If you like all things water-related, you"ll want to schedule a trip to the New Zealand National Maritime Museum when in Auckland. New Zealand is very much a boating country, having hosted several America"s Cup Challenges. You can go back some 1,000 years in the maritime history of the country at this highly-billed choice for museums of New Zealand. There are some great programs here, including those that let you actually get out on the water. That"s about as interactive as a museum exhibit gets.

New Zealand is located pretty far south in the Southern Hemisphere, and as such, the country maintains an association of sorts with Antarctica, which can be noticed from destination to destionation. In Auckland, Kelly Tarltons Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World is part museum, part aquaruim, and part penguin-paradise. The Antarctic Encounter allows you to learn all about the resident penguins, and about famous South Pole expeditions. Down on the South Island in the city of Christchurch, you"ll find a few of the more notable museums of New Zealand, one of which offers a most comprehensive look at Antarctica. The International Antarctic Centre dubs itself as "The World"s Best Antarctic Attraction", and they do well to support that claim. This is as close to experiencing Antarctica as you will get, short of heading to the continent itself. The Canterbury Museum in Christchurch offers an Antarctic Gallery worth looking into, but that"s just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. The exhibits here cover just about anything you can think of, including the extinct Moa, New Zealand"s history and culture, and so much more. Free guided tours are offered at the Canterbury Museum, and they are highly recommended. In fact, all of the tours at these featured New Zealand museums are worth experiencing.

As mentioned, the museums of New Zealand are many, and besides considering the ones listed above, you might duck into a few other ones along the way. In the city of Dunedin, the Larnach Castle museum is most interesting, and guests can take a self-guided tour of the grounds of this impressive 1871 edifice. The Otago Museum in Dunedin is a sizeable complex, and if you can"t make it to the Auckland Museum to view the Maori and Polynesian exhibits, the ones here will fill in quite nicely. Recent renovations to Dunedin"s Otago Museum have done well to make it a very recommendable experience. Be sure to start your trip here with the short, introductory video. If you are enjoying the splendid beaches and scenery at New Zealand"s Bay of Islands, a stop at the Russell Museum is a good idea. The town of Russell might be small, but there are some great historic sites here. After enjoying the Russell Museum exhibits, which center on past Maori and European contact and the town"s history, you can grab a free brochure that highlights many of the town"s top historical attractions. Oh, the list of New Zealand museums could go on. But, we"ll have to end it somewhere. Hopefully, you"ll get the chance to enjoy one, or many of the great museums of New Zealand during your New Zealand vacation.