Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira was founded in 1852 and opened in 1929. Its neoclassical building, designed by Grierson, Aimer and Draffin, is a Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic place. Whether you pay for general admission depends on where you live, and special exhibitions, tours, events and experiences can carry an extra charge for every visitor.
Food and drink cannot be taken into the galleries beyond the Grand Foyer and Te Ao Mārama/South Atrium. The Kai Room is there for visitors who bring their own food, and the museum encourages packed lunches and snacks out in the Domain; water fountains are in the Welcome Lounge and the Kai Room, in Weird and Wonderful on Level One and in the Library on Level Two. Flash photography and hand-held video are allowed in most galleries, for non-commercial use only.
One thing to plan around: during school term, the museum hosts school groups in the Weird and Wonderful gallery, and access to the central part of the space is restricted at those times, which are not published.
Family FAQ
How much does Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira cost?
International visitors pay NZ$32 per adult, NZ$16 per child aged 5-15 or NZ$86 for a family of 2 adults and 2 children; Auckland residents enter free with proof of address or a MyMuseum card, and other New Zealand residents pay by donation.
What are the opening hours of Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira?
Open 10am-5pm on weekdays and 9am-5pm on weekends, and until 8.30pm every Tuesday.
Is there baby changing at Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira?
The ground-floor Parent's Room has a comfortable feeding chair, a microwave for warming bottles and a change table, and there is another change table in the accessible toilets next to the Kai Room.
