Explore Wellington

The Cystic Fibrosis Wellington Christmas Tree Festival lights up Wellington Airport through December, all for a great cause. Explore a forest of over 50 colourful, fun and sparkly Christmas trees. Make sure you vote for your favourite tree and be in to win!

Wellington City Council brings you four free festive events. Christmas crafts on Sat 23 Nov in Midland Park, Christmas music and performances on Sat 30 Nov in Glover Park, circus acts and street busking under the sails at Queens Wharf on Sat 7 Dec, and Santa's arrival at Waitangi Park on Sat 14 Dec with a fun range of Christmas activities. All events from 11am – 5pm.

Enjoy Christmas cheer at Carols in the Park on Saturday 14 December from 5pm – 7pm at in Waitangi Park. Grab a picnic dinner and join Nick Tansley and Friends for a Christmas Carols sing-along. Brought to you by Wellington City Council.

Wellington City Council’s iconic summer event returns 7-26 January 2025, with its free Concert Series, Light Display, Kids Garden Trail, and Kids Explorer Days, all set amongst the natural beauty of the Botanic Garden ki Paekākā.

Gather your wine friends for New Zealand’s most iconic & beloved celebration of exquisite wines, fine food and summer tunes among the vines. Toast Martinborough is returning this summer with a new Wellington Anniversary weekend date of Sunday 19 January 2025. 

Wellington City Council is proud to present Te Rā o Waitangi, a free whānau-friendly event to commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Aotearoa’s national day, 12 noon – 6pm, Thursday 6 February, at Waitangi Park. Enjoy live multi-cultural performances, Māori culture, and the Kids Zone. Visit the arts and craft stalls, ‘The Eggfruit’ by Barbarian Productions, and enjoy food truck kai.

Experience and celebrate the sights, sounds, and flavours of the Pacific at the free whānau-friendly Wellington Pasifika Festival, brought to you by Wellington City Council on Saturday 8 February, 12 noon – 6pm, at Waitangi Park. Enjoy traditional and contemporary live music and performance, food and craft stalls, a Kids’ Zone and a festival wide activation based on the card game ‘Lalaga’.

For the first time in New Zealand, "Disney: The Magic of Animation" is coming to Wellington! This captivating exhibition features over 600 objects including original sketches and rare artworks, taking you on a journey through nearly a century of Disney magic. Image courtesy Queensland Museum Kurilpa Disney The Magic of Animation

Step back in time and discover Wellington’s unique transport system that has carried people between the harbour and the hills for over a century. Open daily 9.30am – 5pm the museum is in the original winding house at the top of the cable car system, Kelburn.

City Gallery Wellington is the capital’s public contemporary art gallery showcasing artists from Aotearoa and around the world. Temporarily away from home, the gallery continues to bring art to Wellington from new locations across the region. Free entry.

Immerse yourself in three of New Zealand’s constitutional documents - He Whakaputanga, The Treaty of Waitangi and the Women's Suffrage Petition. Based at The National Library, take a free guided tour or discover our nations treasures on your own with an Audio Tour.

Nōku te Ao Capital E is a vibrant space where young people can unleash their imaginations and explore endless creative possibilities. Open Mon – Sat 9.30am – 3.30pm with free entry. You'll find Nōku te Ao Capital E on Queens Wharf.

Staglands offers a unique and exciting opportunity to connect with nature in a beautiful, natural environment. Don’t forget to pack your togs and a picnic so you can make the most of the scenic picnic spots & delicious swimming holes.

This is the place to learn about planets, stars, constellations, and galaxies. Te Ara Whānui ki te Rangi | Space Place shares the stories of New Zealand’s skies and our contribution to space exploration through multimedia exhibits, interactive galleries, the historic Thomas Cooke telescope, and the digital, full-dome planetarium.

New Zealand’s national museum and art gallery is known for its cutting-edge, interactive approach to telling the stories of Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. Take a guided tour or explore the interactive exhibitions at your own pace.

Te Waka Huia o Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho | Wellington Museum celebrates the people and the events that have shaped the character and soul of our capital and region. Located at the heart of Wellington’s waterfront the museum is open daily 10am-5pm with free entry.

Experience the hidden charm of Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington with a 5-minute ride from the heart of the city centre on the Wellington Cable Car. Journey up through the hillside terraced houses of Kelburn to the lookout perched high above the city for the best view in the city.

Have a wild day out packed with learning and fun at Wellington Zoo. With 500+ animals of all shapes and sizes to check out, you’ll leave with a sense of wonder and be empowered to make a difference to protect our wildlife and their wild homes.

A must-see for film buffs and lovers of cool stuff is Wētā Cave. Buy authentic Wētā Workshop designed collectables, prop replicas, books, jewellery, art prints, gifts, apparel, movie memorabilia and more.

Discover how incredible, imaginary worlds are brought to life through movie-making magic in the heart of Wellywood at Wētā Workshop. You might recognise some of the props, weapons or costumes - especially if you're a fan of Middle-earth. 

The world’s first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary with an extraordinary 500-year vision to restore the valley’s forest and freshwater ecosystems as closely as possible to pre-human state. Set around a picturesque reservoir, Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne is home to some of New Zealand's most rare and extraordinary wildlife—all thriving wild in a world-first protected sanctuary.