Auckland Museum and Domain, Auckland

There are two reasons to visit Auckland Museum (Tamaki Paenga Hira). First of all it has the world’s best collection of Maori artefacts (and of the South Pacific Islands) with which the National Museum (Te Papa Tongarewa) in Wellington cannot compare, second it is the country’s War Memorial Museum.

In between you find a bird collection which does not compare to the all comprising collection of Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, a Children’s Discovery Centre, a shop and a café, and in the centre of the second floor with New Zealand’s history of wars you find somehow misplaced, a nice replica of some colonial Auckland streets with shops, pubs, etc.

The first level (ground floor) is about the peoples of the Pacific – Maori and Polynesians. Also a small gallery, collections of 1960s furniture, design and decorative arts. Everything is a little crammed. Tthe café is tiny (and you won’t get coffee when their only grinder is broken…), the entrance hall is overcrowded with tellers and info stands, and if you arrive on a rainy school holiday weekend as we did last time we were there the noise can get overwhelming, especially as many parents do not look after their children at all, and the kids race around and scream like on a playground. Even if you are tolerant this can be unbearable, so you cannot concentrate on the collections.

The second level is about natural history – the already mentioned birds, interactive displays about volcanoes which is very suitable for a city built on 48 volcanic cones.

The third level is titled “Scars on the Heart”. There the story about New Zealand’s history of warfare is told – quite impressive and well done.

Lately there has been big discussion about the museum’s new director, a very short-haired Canadian lady who wants to make some changes. Some critics fear she wants to transform it into a place overloaded with interaction like Te Papa and not a real museum anymore. Others criticise her first special exhibition where collections from the archives are on display, and they cannot understand why this is called “Secrets”. Bullocks, I say. Of course, because nobody has ever seen those backstage mysteries. And again others are infuriated that she has put up signs saying that a donation of NZ$ 5 is “suggested – children are free”. This does not respect the country’s policy that museums have free entry and only charge for temporary exhibitions. But to make it clear: You do not have to donate anything if you do not want – only for guided tours ($ 10) which take place daily at 10.30am and 2pm.

Apart from all this I would say the museum needs some tidying up in several areas – just please not in the Maori area. It is close to perfect, and those spectacular displays do not need any enhancing, they speak for themselves.

Open daily (except Christmas Day) 10 am – 5pm

Contact

Museum info line (09) 306 7067
Booking line (09) 306 7048
General Enquiries (09) 309 0443
Internet: www.aucklandmuseum.com
Email newsletter: news@aucklandmuseum.com

I would say, of all buildings lower than the Skytower Auckland’s War Memorial Museum is the most striking one. The next one would be the Ferry Terminal Building.

It is a huge white monumental building in Greek-Roman style, sitting at the highest point of the Domain. The Domain is a huge park covering the slopes of an ancient volcano, separated from the city centre by the Grafton Gully. The Maori call it Pukekawa – hill of bad memories – as it was a place of tribal wars. When Auckland was New Zealand’s capital – so in the 1840s – the Domain became the city’s first park, with sportsfields, a rotunda, flower beds, huge lawns, plenty of exotic trees, and an amphi-theatre.

Access to the Domain and Museum is by several ways, one, for example, from Beach Road/The Strand/Parnell Rise (direction: Grafton), then follow the signs. Another one is from Newmarket, turn into Domain Road or Maunsell Road from Broadway. There are quite a number of free carparks, next to the Museum are a carpark and a parking building (charges apply). The roads from Parnell Road which seem to lead to the Museum – because you have great views – are no exit roads.

Be warned:
Parking can become very costly if you do not find a free park along the street or in the Domain. Each of the first two hours costs $ 3 (so $ 6 for two hours), the third hour $ 4, and all following hours $ 5 (when they do not believe that you are still in the museum or the Domain…), to a daily maximum of $ 25. In the Domain parking is free for up to three hours.

Travel by bus: Link bus (every 10 min during the week, every 15 min at weekends), plus a 5 min walk from Parnell Road. The Explorer Bus stops in front of the museum (in summer two per hour, in winter one per hour).

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Very nice museum to learn all about New Zealand and it's culture. The first floor has a really good Maori and Pacific Island culture exhibit. There is also a section on science and nature. The second floor is mainly dedicated to NZ at war.

It was rainy and cold when we arrived into Auckland...and I ended up visiting the museum. It was impressive and fun to learn about this country thru the museum. It was certainly a great way to spend a rainy day...

Set within a beautiful historical building at the peak of the Domain volcano (inactive!), the Auckland Museum is a wonderful place to spend a rainy morning or afternoon. With three floors of exhibits showcasing the cultural and social history of New Zealand, the country's history at war, natural history (flora and fauna), and extensive displays of artifacts and treasures from the Maori culture and other cultures of the South Pacific, you can spend hours wandering and learning about the country you are visiting. There is usually a special exhibit occurring as well (at the time, it was the travelling exhibit of Da Vinci's Machines), although these exhibits will typically cost you extra to view.

Because there is so much to absorb at the museum (particularly in the Maori and South Pacific exhibits), I would recommend spending an hour or two, leaving for a "brain break", then returning later refreshed. Your ticket gets you in and out of the museum as many times as you want all day.

With spectacular views of Auckland City and the harbour, gardens and treed pathways, the Domain is a perfect place for walking and picnicking on sunnier days.

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The auckland museum is a great place to visit if you want to learn more about the history of the Maori as well as enjoy some comtemporary exhibitions. The lastest one when I was there was Dinosaurs Alive! It is also surrounded by a wide open landscape garden known as the Auckland Domain.

The Auckland Museum / War memorial is a large, excellent museum surrounded by nice walking trails, on a hill that overlooks Auckland harbour. It will take a half-day to just skim through the place. After absorbing all that knowledge and history, you could take a nap on the grass, like I did. Well worth your time I promise.

Auckland Museum has one of the best displayed of Maori artifacts and the many races that inhabit New Zealand. It will give you a good insight into New Zealand and its peoples.

There is also a daily Maori cultural performances

It is open daily from 10am – 5pm.

Admission by donation, $5 per adult is suggested, children are free.