Top New Zealand Arts & Design

Wētā Workshop Unleashed is an immersive, guided experience at Auckland's SkyCity, created by five-time Academy Award-winning Wētā Workshop. On this interactive tour, you'll go behind the scenes of practical filmmaking and see how props, creatures and special effects are made. The experience takes you through three original film worlds - fantasy, science fiction and horror. Led by entertaining hosts, you'll explore detailed movie sets, get hands-on with practical effects, and come face-to-face with creatures, robots and larger-than-life characters built by the Wētā Workshop crew. Photography and video are welcome throughout, so you can capture and share your visit. Suitable for film fans, families and creative minds, Wētā Workshop Unleashed is a hands-on alternative to a traditional museum and a unique thing to do in Auckland. Your ticket includes a complimentary souvenir video.

Fans of the Lord of the Rings movies won’t want to miss this fun half-day tour to various filming locations in the Southern Alps. You’ll enjoy exclusive access to private Arcadia Station and will also visit the beautiful Mt. Aspiring National Park. Be amazed by the natural beauty while reliving your favorite movie scenes. Don an LOTR costume and sword too, if you like.

While in Rotorua, the North Island’s heartland of traditional culture, attend an evening event at Te Pā Tū featuring a Māori cultural performance and a 3-course seasonal fusion feast. Learn about Māori customs tied to the lunar calendar while enjoying song, drama, and tradition in a forest village setting. Hotel pickup and return transfers from Rotorua are included for convenience.

See the Franz Josef Glacier from the air on a helicopter flight above ice falls, snowfields, and crevasses. Touch down on a snowfield to see the icy landscape up close, and take in sweeping views across the maritime glacier. This helicopter tour departs from a helipad in Franz Josef township.

Spend the morning or afternoon visiting Middle-earth on this half-day “The Lord of the Rings” tour from Wellington. A guide with insider knowledge entertains Frodo fans on a journey into the scenic New Zealand countryside. Get a behind-the-scenes look at LOTR movie production on a tour of the Weta Workshop and discover why director Peter Jackson selected this region to film the renowned trilogy, along with “The Hobbit” movies.

Gain entry to the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute at Te Puia on a guided tour of this geothermal hot spot. Take a walking path up to steaming vents, boiling mud pools and erupting Pohutu Geyser at Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley; observe the emblematic kiwi bird; and discover Maori traditions at the cultural center. Upgrade to include a cultural performance of Maori song and dance, including the warlike ‘haka.’ Showtimes are available several times a day during admittance.

Stand on the spot where New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed in 1840. Find out how this document was forged with admission to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Your day pass is valid for two consecutive days and includes an informative guided tour, an introductory film, a cultural performance, and full access to the historic site.

The Dreamery is a must see experience, unique only to Queenstown. Discover nine immersive installations with seven rooms combining digital art, tactile play, and sensory wonder. Every room is custom build to amaze and be interacted with. Plus will leave you with amazing dynamic videos and photos.

Join Wellington locals Joe Bleakley (Queens service medal for services to New Zealand for ceremonies of the 1990 commonwealth games, twice winner of the Art Directors guild for excellence in production for the lord of the rings films as art director, various film credits and projects spanning decades & most promising all rounder Johnsonville softball club 1962) and Louis Tait (actor & comedian) on a magical journey. Jumping on the number 28 bus, we'll discover the secrets of Wellington like a true local. Winding through the city to the hills. Departing the bus at the end of the Earth, we shall then wander on foot down the road to Joe's place. Here we shall explore this old masonic hall hallowed by wondrous creations spanning decades and across many mediums. Only those initiated by the number 28 bus shall discover the secrets of this place. We will check it out, have a cuppa and a chat, pop down to the beach for some kai then catch the bus back into town or wherever it is you are going…

Step into Peter Jackson's Middle-earth with this guided group tour of the Hobbiton™ Movie Set from 'The Lord of the Rings' film trilogy. Learn more about the movies than you ever would by exploring by yourself with the help of your local guide. And with a shuttle service at your disposal, you enjoy a truly seamless Matamata experience.

If you’re short on time in Napier, or wanting an overview of the city’s striking Art Deco architecture before exploring further alone, this morning tour is convenient. Admire the beautiful buildings of the Ahuriri and Marewa districts; see Art Deco landmarks such as the National Tobacco Building; and learn more about the distinctive design style. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

Gain insight into Kiwi culture when you visit the All Blacks Experience in Auckland. Whether you’re an avid rugby fan or simply interested in learning more about the Haka and the New Zealand national teams, this interactive experience entertains and informs. Hear interesting stories about the team and famous players, see All Blacks memorabilia, and even watch a powerful haka.

Make the most of your time in Auckland with skip-the-line access to the Auckland War Memorial Museum (also known as the Aukland Museum). Housed in a beautiful heritage building, the museum's three floors showcase New Zealand's diverse culture, rich heritage, and its role as a place of remembrance for those who sacrificed their lives in war.

Experience the unique and special natural beauty of Rotorua, the geothermal hot spot of New Zealand, just 1 hour's drive from Tauranga. Learn about the geothermal features and its use by the Maori people, the first to settle in New Zealand over 800 years ago. Entry is not included to the private geothermal reserves, but we do see boiling mud pools, crystal clear bubbling hot springs and volcanic lakes. Relax at the foot bathing pools in Kuirau Park, (towels provided) after a short walk to see the bubbling mud and steaming lakes. Whakarewarewa Village is our stop for a snack lunch, here you can take a peek at the village (entry not incl.) before our final stop, the Redwoods Forrest. Here we take a short, guided tour through a purpose-built Glow Worm Cave, then a walk among the treetops on a network of easy-to-use rope swing bridges, with access by a gentle spiral ramp, no steps are needed. The tour start time will be confirmed when your booking is accepted by us.

Art, craft, and culture-loving travelers will enjoy this guided tour of a New Zealand jade (pounamu) carving studio. Learn about the cultural significance of jade to the local Maori people, and about traditional and contemporary designs. Get the chance to meet jewelry artists and to see them at work. Choose a piece of jade to string and keep as a memento.

Save time and skip the lines with this combo ticket to Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre’s cutting-edge “Knights of the Sky” and “Dangerous Skies” exhibits. Learn about New Zealand’s wartime pilots and see their stories brought to life in sets created by the award-winning WingNut Films and Weta Workshop. Enthusiasts should make a beeline to the Centre’s aviation relics: immaculately preserved bomber planes and fighter jets from both World Wars.

Skip the taxi line or car rentals on arrival at Auckland Airport with a handy shared arrival transfer to your Auckland hotel by comfortable minivan. Simply book your transport, look out for the meeting spot outside the arrivals hall, and begin your hassle-free vacation with a professional and courteous driver. Airport transfers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so are ready whenever you land.

Explore Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War with the peace and stillness this subject matter deserves by joining a small group guided tour. Te Papa has joined forces with Weta Workshop to create an exhibition like no other. Garnering international acclaim and various awards, join your expert host and learn more about Te Papa's famous exhibition. * See eight extraordinary New Zealanders captured frozen in time on a monumental scale - 2.4 times human size * Learn about the battles that took place in this culturally-defining event * Discover more about the ANZAC story through 3D maps and projections, miniatures, models, dioramas, and a range of interactive experiences. This tour includes the international visitor entry charge. Domestic tour pricing is available on our website.

Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre’s Dangerous Skies exhibition tells the incredible stories of World War II’s unsung aviation heroes. See impeccably-restored bombers and fighter planes from the era and immerse yourself in the museum’s Battle of Stalingrad Experience, a multimedia extravaganza that throws you right in the middle of the infamous siege. Skip the lines and book a special guided tour of the exhibit to learn more about these stories.

Discover Devonport’s rich maritime and volcanic heritage on this 75-minute, wheelchair-friendly walking tour through one of New Zealand’s most charming seaside villages. Begin at the ferry terminal and follow paved paths past Māori pā sites, Victorian villas, and colonial landmarks. Explore the village centre, home to the Vic Devonport theatre, Devonport Library, and local artspaces, ending at scenic Windsor Reserve and Devonport Beach. Highlights include: • Devonport Naval Base and Calliope Dock • Bear Wall ruins from an 1880s pleasure garden • Historic Anne Street’s preserved villas • Tainui waka landing site at Torpedo Bay • "Old Albert," a giant 1893 fig tree • “Untidy Soldier” WWI memorial • Devonport Chocolates' artisan treats Experience a unique blend of history, culture, and coastal beauty.

Te Papa Museum of New Zealand is unique for its innovative, interactive exhibits that engage visitors through cutting-edge technology, its deep respect and authentic representation of Māori culture and heritage, its comprehensive displays of New Zealand's diverse natural history and cultural narratives, and its commitment to inclusivity and community engagement, making it a dynamic and inclusive cultural hub.

Visit two of New Zealand's must-see attractions on this combo tour from Auckland to the Hobbiton™ Movie Set and Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Peek into Hobbit holes, frolic in the Shire, and get a drink at the Green Dragon Inn on a guided tour of Middle-earth, followed by a café lunch. In the afternoon, explore Māori myths and history on an underground boat ride at Waitomo, surrounded by thousands of glowworms.

Discover famous sites from Middle-earth on this Hobbiton™ Movie Set shore excursion from Port of Tauranga. Enjoy a guided tour of Hobbiton™, which featured in screen adaptations of Tolkien's epic novels. Also explore some natural highlights of the area, including McLaren Falls Park, Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park, and a kiwifruit orchard—something that other Hobbiton™ tours miss out on.