Auckland
Museum and the Auckland Art Gallery
Museum
website
Auckland
Art Gallery
Auckland
is New Zealand's largest city and its residents proudly
view it as the cultural capital of the nation.
Two
of the city's major exhibition houses are the Auckland War
Memorial Museum (pictured right) and the Auckland Art Gallery
(below).
Both
are highly recommended to visitors in Auckland and are open
almost every day of the year.
The
Auckland Museum is a must see for culturally aware travellers
as in its marbled halls are some fascinating collections
that span human history from the ancient days to more modern
exhibits.
You
can see whale bones, Polynesian artefacts, live shows by
Maori dancers, New Zealand's flora and fauna, relics from
ancient civilisations, historical looks at Auckland city
from the days of the pioneers through to the 1960s and much
more.
With
New Zealand having such a rich Polynesian connection, the
Maori and Pacific Island exhibitions are must-sees and include
a large Maori meeting house and a mighty war canoe carved
from a single giant totara tree.
The
Auckland Museum also has a fascinating ancient collection
that includes some major items from Egypt, Greece, Rome,
China, Korea and the Americas.
Being
a War Memorial, the Auckland Museum dedicates it entire
top floor to New Zealand at War and provides a detailed
look at the New Zealand Wars against the Maoris, the First
World War, Second World War, Korea and more recent conflicts
including New Zealand's peacekeeping efforts.
Similar
in style to the Canberra War Memorial, there is a very moving
and solemn wall of remembrance dedicated to those who died
in wars.
Children
will have a marvellous time in the more-modern interactive
areas of the museum and can get their hands on with various
learning devices and come face to face with bees in a see-through
hive, cockroaches at breakfast, fish (including a Nemo clownfish)
and a lot more. Be prepared as a parent to let them explore
this area for at least an hour!
Auckland Museum also will appeal to dinosaur fans with a
terrific display of giant skeletons including the four-metre
tall Cryolophosaurus and Malawisaurus. Check out a flying
Pteranodon and then be gobsmacked by the size of the moas
- giant birds that stand three metres tall.
Auckland
War Memorial Museum is open every day except Christmas Day
and ANZAC morning (25 April). Regular hours are 10am to
5pm.
Entry
to the museum is a donation - specified at $5 for adults.
Auckland
Art Gallery
The
Auckland Art Gallery first opened its doors in 1888 and
now has more than 12,500 works of art in its collection.
These
are dominated by New Zealand pieces of historic, modern
and contemporary merit. In
addition, Maori and Pacific Island artists feature some
magnificent works.
The
Auckland Art Gallery's Main Gallery is on the corner of
Wellesley and Kitchener Streets in Auckland city. Its New
Gallery is on the corner of Wellesley and Lorne Streets
in Auckland city.
Both
are open daily from 10am-5.00pm, except for Christmas Day
and Easter Friday. There is an Art Gallery 24 hour information
line on (64 9) 379 1349.
Entry
to the Auckland Art Gallery is free, although charges may
apply for special exhibitions. The cost of tickets are:
All
Day Pass - $7 for adults, $5 for children.
A three-visit Multi-Pass - $10.50, $7.50 for children.
Children under 12 are free.
Group prices are by arrangement.
Schools are $2 per person.
