What to expect at Te Papa – in NZSL

Here’s what you need to know before you visit us – from opening hours, entry information for visitors, and maps, to car parking and things to do at Te Papa.

Find out more about museum entry for international visitors.

Map

Getting to Te Papa

Te Papa is at 55 Cable Street, on Wellington’s waterfront.

There are many ways to get to Te Papa.

Walk: It’s easy to walk from the city centre to the museum.
Bus: Most buses stop along Courtenay Place and Willis Street. Te Papa is just a few minutes’ walk away.
Train: It takes 20 minutes to walk along the waterfront from the station to Te Papa.
Taxis: Wellington Combined Taxis have a stand outside Te Papa.
Bikes and kick scooters: We have bike and scooter racks. Borrow a scooter padlock for free at the coat and bag check.

Car parking

Wide shot of the entrance to Te Papa from Cable St showing the road you enter to drive into the carpark

Entry road to the Te Papa carpark, 2020. Photo by Jack Fisher. Te Papa

Enter the car park on Cable Street, by Circa Theatre.

Park for $4 per hour. You can pay with cash, EFTPOS, debit card, or most credit cards.

At the entry gate, take a ticket or use your credit card.

View of the entrance to Te Papa’s carpark, showing the ticket booth and boom gates

Entrance to Te Papa carpark, 2020. Photo by Jack Fisher. Te Papa

Close up of the machine that dispenses carpark tickets

Carpark ticket dispenser, 2020. Photo by Jack Fisher. Te Papa

To exit, visitors with tickets pay at the pay station. Credit card holders can pay there or at the exit gate.

CLose up of the payment station at the carpark exit

Pay station at the carpark exit, 2020. Photo by Jack Fisher. Te Papa

Using the undercover car park between 8pm and 7am? Press the intercom button by the closed gate. Our Security team will let you in.

Intercom at entrance to undercover carpark

Carpark intercom, 2020. Photo by Jack Fisher. Te Papa

The exit gate opens automatically.

To enter Te Papa from the car park, walk through the gap in the grey wall, towards Circa Theatre.

View of the walkway towards the main entrance of the building

Towards the main entrance of Te Papa from the carpark, 2020. Photo by Jack Fisher. Te Papa

In an emergency

If the building is evacuated, red lights on the ceiling will flash in major exhibitions and in most toilets. Alarms will also sound. Hosts will guide you to the nearest emergency exit.

Rules at Te Papa

We have three main rules to protect our treasures.

You can’t eat or drink in the museum

You can buy food and drinks at our two cafes, but please don’t take them into other spaces. You can eat your own snacks and lunch outdoors in the Amphitheatre.

You can’t take photos in some places

You can’t take photos of areas with ‘no camera’ signs. You’re welcome to take photos in other areas, but please don’t use tripods or flash photography.