Three floors, one ticket
Galleries after the performance
What to see in Auckland Museum once the Māori performance ends: the three floors, the Māori art exhibition, the war memorial and a guided tour.
Reserve your place at the performance ↗Quick answer
Auckland Museum has three floors: the ground floor tells the story of Pacific peoples, Level One holds the natural history galleries, and Level Two tells the story of New Zealand's wars. Some galleries, including the Māori Court and Pacific galleries, are currently closed, so check the museum's pages. Te Ripo o Te Moana: Taonga Through Time is listed on Level 1.
The three floors
The museum's three floors tell the story of New Zealand. The ground level tells the story of Pacific people: Māori, Pakeha, the peoples of Oceania and other newcomers. The natural history galleries on Level One tell New Zealand's evolutionary story and describe its environment from mountain top to the ocean depths. The galleries on Level Two tell the story of New Zealand's involvement in wars, from the New Zealand Wars to East Timor. Pick the floor that matches your afternoon, because the building rewards one floor done well.
What is closed
The museum says that some galleries are currently closed, including its Māori Court and Pacific galleries, and that some galleries and facilities on the ground floor are closed until further notice while essential work is carried out. It also says there are plenty of Māori collection items to see and stories of the people of Aotearoa New Zealand to uncover in other galleries. Closures change, so read the galleries page and the museum map for your date before you plan the afternoon.
Te Ripo o Te Moana: Taonga Through Time
The museum's exhibitions page lists Te Ripo o Te Moana: Taonga Through Time on Level 1, free with museum entry. It brings together taonga Māori from the museum's collection in an exhibition exploring the richness and diversity of Māori creative practice. It features whakairo rākau (wood carving), raranga (weaving), kōwhaiwhai (customary painting) and whakakai (body adornment), and spans customary and contemporary Māori art. It is a natural follow-on to a performance introduced through the word taonga.
Gallery Highlights Tour
The museum's Gallery Highlights Tour is an hour-long guided introduction to selected galleries across all three floors. It meets at the tour banner in the Grand Foyer, and the guide will answer questions about collection items or galleries along the way. The museum describes the tour as giving an understanding of Māori culture and the achievements of Polynesian navigators, and as exploring the natural history and geology of Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand. It is sold separately from the combined ticket on this site.
Tāmaki Herenga Waka and the stories of Auckland
In 2020 the museum opened a set of exhibitions called Tāmaki Herenga Waka: Stories of Auckland, with sections on the land, water and city, and areas on activism and data visualisation. The data visualisation section, Living City: Rarau mai, explores the city's ethnically diverse population through three themes: people, environment and systems. If the performance made you curious about Auckland itself, this gallery is where the museum tells the city's story.
Eating, resting and leaving bags
No food or drink is allowed in the galleries. An area beside the Grand Foyer coat check is set aside for eating and drinking your own food, and the 1929 café has tables for those who buy there. Tripods and oversized bags must go into a self-service locker. Plan the day so that the Level 2 performance comes first or last, and the lockers and the café fall in between, because a day-long ticket gives you the choice.
Read next: Getting to Auckland Museum
Frequently asked questions
Is the Māori Court open?
The museum says some galleries, including the Māori Court and Pacific galleries, are currently closed. Check its galleries page for your date.
Is there a guided tour?
Yes. The Gallery Highlights Tour is an hour-long guided introduction to selected galleries across all three floors, meeting at the tour banner in the Grand Foyer.
What is on Level Two?
The galleries on Level Two tell the story of New Zealand's involvement in wars, from the New Zealand Wars to East Timor.
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