Must See Tourist Attractions In Wellington

Te Papa Museum

Wellington’s leading attraction and one of the world’s largest national museums, Te Papa is a tribute to all that is New Zealand; its people and history, natural environment, arts and culture. Interactive technology and superb displays bring the story to life. Motion simulators allow visitors to witness the explosive creation of pre-historic New Zealand, or to experience a virtual reality bungy jump. There is also an interactive section on volcanoes and earthquakes where the effects of an earthquake can be felt from inside a house and a volcanic eruption viewed on screen. Other attractions include a range of magnificent exhibitions featuring some of the country’s most important Maori treasures, a modern ‘marae’ or Maori meeting house, and an informative display on the Treaty of Waitangi, between the Maori chiefs and European settlers in 1840. The natural world is also explored, featuring all the natural inhabitants of the country.

Cable Car

One of the most popular tourist attractions, the cable car takes people to the lookout at Kelburn, where there is a beautiful view over the city and across the harbour. Visitors can either take a return journey or walk back down through the beautifully landscaped Botanic Gardens. At the top terminus there is the small Cable Car Museum explaining its history.

In the city centre the Parliamentary District is the architectural masterpiece of Wellington, including the Old Government Building, the second largest wooden building in the world; the unmistakable modernist Beehive, the executive offices of Parliament; Parliament House and the Victorian Gothic National Library.

The cable car takes people up to the Botanic Gardens for vistas of the city centre and across the harbour to the Hutt Valley, one of the scenic locations used in the filming of ‘Lord of the Rings’. Another film site is Mt Victoria, offering sweeping panoramic views of the city and its suburbs, the surrounding hills and bays, and the harbour.