Wellington is a beautiful city, with many sculptures and galleries available to the public. Here are a few of the many free options for a visitor to Wellington who is interested in exploring the arts.
Visit Wellington's Art Galleries
There are several art galleries of national importance in Wellington. Te Papa, New Zealand's national musuem, houses “Toi Te Papa, Art of the Nation”, a large collection including pieces from famous NZ artists such as Goldie, Cotton, Angus and Hotere. Te Papa also houses a large collection of Maori artifacts and has a small sculpture garden. Te Papa occasionally hosts a traveling art exhibitions, but these generally charge an admission fee.
The Wellington City Gallery in Civic Square hosts contemporary national and international exhibits throughout the year, many of which are free to view. The Adam Art Gallery, attached to Victoria University, is small but includes both a permanent collection and occasional revolving exhibits. Many of the collected works are displayed throughout the university buildings.
Toi Poneke, at the end of Cuba St, is a space dedicated to Wellington artists and often holds art courses, as well as exhibitions throughout the year. A little further afield, The New Dowse gallery in Lower Hutt is a contemporary gallery with revolving art, culture, costume and music displays. As well as these, there are many smaller galleries to be found all over Wellington.
Tour Wellington's Public Sculptures
Wellington contains many fantastic public sculptures, including several wind sculptures. Many of these can be seen with a walk down the waterfront (including the Writer's Walk plaques) or by exploring the Botanic Gardens. Cobhan Drive, near the airport, has many of the wind sculptures including ones that light up and move.
Explore New Zealand's Film History
The National Film Archives on Taranaki Street contains a huge collection of NZ film and television, dating back to 1895. The Archive often holds free screenings.
Visitors may also want to visit the Weta Cave, a tiny museum in Miramar containing props from various movies that Weta Productions has worked on, including King Kong, The Lord of the Rings and more. They also screen a free documentary on the history of Weta throughout the day, and offer memoribilia for sale.
Concerts and Craft Markets
Wellington has many craft markets in different suburbs over the weekend, including the Frank Kitts Market, a large craft fair with buskers and over 80 stalls, held each Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Several Wellington region suburbs hold a craft fair once per month and crafts can also be found in the many farmer's markets. Free live music events are often held in Wellington, and can be found through websites like Mukuna or through local publications.
Leave plenty of time to explore Wellington's extensive art scene. Wellington is a fascinating city, with a wide range of free activities that allow for an overview of New Zealand art, as well as of the city itself.
Wellington also has many free cultural attractions and free natural wonders to visit.
Rachel Sawaya - Rachel Sawaya is a freelance writer from New Zealand (who also has US citizenship), and currently lives in Auckland, the big smoke of New ...
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