PARLIAMENT HOUSE - Wellington
​The Parliament House was completed in 1922 and is a symbol of New Zealand Politics, there are free one-hour tours from the ground-floor foyer.
In the vicinity are also the Beehive, Government Buildings and Parliamentary Library Building.

Location: Bowen St, Wellington.
Hours: (Tours); 10am till 4pm Mon-Fri, Sat 10am-3pm, Sun 11am-3pm.
Price: free​ - Check-in time 15 mins prior.
​
Web: http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/visiting/
Photograph courtesy of Bob & Janet Strain
MUSEUM OF WELLINGTON CITY & SEA
- Wellington
​The Museum of Wellington City & Sea provides an interactive history experience of Wellingtons social and ocean maritime history. Here you'll find a moving documentary about the tragedy of the Wahine, and dramatic hologramic tales of ancient Maori legends with special effects.​

Location: Queens Wharf , Wellington.
Hours: 10am-5pm
Price: free​

Photograph courtesy of grabone NZ
​NEW ZEALAND FILM ARCHIVE - Wellington
​​
The Film Archive is a massive collection of NZ films.
Its collection holds more than 150,000 titles spanning from documentaries, feature films, home movies, short films to newsreels, advertisements and TV programs. ​
Between Wed to Sat there are regular screenings in the cinema for a small fee, as well as a viewing library, which is free, where you can watch films to your hearts content. There is also a trendy on-site cafe.
​Location: cnr Taranaki & Ghuznee Sts, Wellington.
Hours: Film Archive: Mon-Fri from 9am, Sat from 12pm;
Reference Library & Exhibition Space: Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-4pm;
Screenings: Wed-Sat
Price: free​ - Movies: $8.00
​
Photos courtesy of the NZ Film Archives
Photographs courtesy of the NZ Film Archives
MEDIAPLEX - Wellington
​The Mediaplex is part of the New Zealand Film Archive, the New Zealand organisation responsible for collecting, protecting and projecting New Zealand's film heritage.
The mediaplex consists of a library, cinema, film archive and research centre.
The Mediaplex has an extensive collection of titles, over 90,000, of NZ film, TV and video dating from 1895 to this year's tv shows.
From Wednesday to Saturdays are the time to view films from the vault.
Location: cnr Taranaki & Ghuznee Sts, Wellington.
Hours: Film Archive: Mon-Fri from 9am, Sat from 12pm;
Reference Library & Exhibition Space: Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-4pm; Screenings: Wed-Sat
Price: free​ - Movies: $8.00

Photograph courtesy of the NZ Film Archives
ARCHIVES NEW ZEALAND - Wellington
​The Archives New Zealand stores the country's heritage documents which are available for display to the general public.
​Inside you'll find displays of national treasures, including the original Treaty of Waitangi, the country's founding document.

Location: 10 Mulgrave St, Wellington.
Hours: 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat
Price: free​
Photograph courtesy Archives NZ
​PETONE SETTLERS MUSEUM - Petone
The Petone Settlers Museum is situated on the Petone foreshore, 10 to 15 minutes drive from downtown Wellington or Lower Hutt.
The building itself is an art-deco design and houses local migration and settlement images and documents in its Tatou Tatou exhibition.​
Not a bad viewing on your way through to the Rimutaka Forest Park or whilst checking out Petone and the Hutt area.

Location: The Esplanade, Petone, Lower Hutt, Wellington.
Price: free
Hours: 10am-4pm

Photograph courtesy of Jock Phillips
WELLINGTON BOTANICAL GARDENS - Wellington
​​From the top of the cable car take a stroll through​ the ​Wellington Botanic Garden which offers over 26 hectares of specialist gardens, native bush and lawn areas.
Located in the garden are: an Education and Environment Centre in the aptly named Treehouse; the award winning Lady Norwood Rose Garden, with over 106 formal beds; the Begonia House; the Bolton Street Memorial Park, where many of the city's pioneers are buried; the Carter Observatory, New Zealand's National Astronomy Centre; the Sundial of Human Involvement and a great adventure playground..

Hours: 24, access to buildings is 9am - 5pm.
Price: gardens are free, entrance fees may apply to buildings.
Web: ​http://wellington.govt.nz/recreation/gardens/botanic-garden
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NZ​ - Wellington
​
Here you will find public programs exploring the intellectual side of New Zealand. The library offers a gallery, multimedia technology, displays, a cafe as well as wi-fi. 

Location: cnr Molesworth & Aitken Sts, Wellington.
Price: free
Hours: Mon-Sat 9am to 5pm
​
Web:​ http://natlib.govt.nz
Photo courtesy of NZ National Library
Photo courtesy of NZ National Library
Photo courtesy of NZ National Library
Photo courtesy of NZ National Library
THE BEEHIVE - Wellington​

​​The beehive is the political symbol of New Zealand. Well known and architecturally distinctive (looks like a beehive) and built between 1969 and 1979, the beehive forms part of the parliamentary complex.​
Designed by British architect Sir Basil Spence its construction is controversial.

Location: Corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington Tours: Free guided tours lasting up to one hour
Price: free
​
Photograph courtesy Midnighttonight
OLD ST PAUL'S CHURCH - Wellington

​​​The Old Saint Pauls Church offers early english timber-work which is a classic example of English Gothic architecture. The church consists of stained glass windows as well as displays about the history of Wellington.
​
Location: 34 Mulgrave St, Pipitea, Wellington.
Price: donation
Hours: 10am-5pm
​
Web: http://www.historicplaces.org.nz/placestovisit/lowernorthisland/oldstpauls.aspx
Photograph courtesy TEARA
​KATHERINE MANSFIELD'S BIRTHPLACE - Wellington
One of New Zealand's most distinguished authors, Katherine Mansfield is often compared to Chekhov and Maupassant. Katherine was born in 1888, and died of tuberculosis at aged 34 in 1923.
The house consists of exhibitions in her honour and features a biographical film. Katherine was known to associate with some of Europe’s most famous writers (DH Lawrence, TS Eliot, Virginia Woolf). 

Location: 25 Tinakori Rd, Thorndon, Wellington.
Price: adult/child $8/2
Hours: 10am-4pm Tue-Sun​

Photograph courtesy NZ Historic Places Trust
DAYS BAY - Eastbourne
​
​Across the harbour you'll find Days Bay, a variety of small bays and Eastbourne. The easiest way to get there from Wellington is via the Dominion Post Ferry which runs regularly from Wellington’s waterfront.
The ferry will arrive in Days Bay where you can browse art galleries, wander the beach, enjoy the park and cafes or walk through the hills, very appealing on a sunny summers day. ​
To the south, a couple of bays around, you'll find Eastbourne where you'll enjoy a relaxed day visiting the deli's, boutiques and cafes of this quaint seaside suburb. To the north of Days Bay you'll find smaller picturesque bays surrounded by lush hills and residential dwellings. Though lacking in shops and suitable sand to enjoy them they are an area of wealth.
Location​: Other side of Wellington Harbour opposite Wellington waterfront.
Photograph courtesy Phillip C
​B​EACHES & SURFING
​​​There are a few beaches to enjoy in the Wellington region which are popular with families and surfers alike, below are the most favoured:
​
Balaena Bay: Is close to town and popular during the summer. No Life guarding service and it includes reasonable facilities such as a toilet block and changing facilities.​​
Breaker Bay: On the western side of Wellington harbour, Breaker Bay is a preferred walking beach. The beach slopes steeply in to the ocean and consists of a lot of scattered rocks. The reef on the western side is common for surfing.​
Island Bay: A residential area, the beach is safe for swimming and consists of good facilities, kiosk and playground.​​
Houghton Bay: A small bay, Houghton Bay is commonly a surfing and fishing beach, the swells can be large in a southerly and the beach slopes reasonably steeply.
Days Bay: A quaint bay, Days Bay has a slow incline and is popular for swimming with little surf. Has good facilities, cafes, shops, park and bush walks.
Lyall Bay Beach: A very popular beach for swimming and surfing, the beach has good facitlites, kiosk, shops, changing rooms and a slow incline.
Helpful Links
Wellington, Eastbourne, Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata, Porirua, Upper Hutt, Johnsonville, Newlands, Tawa.
Wellington Sights
Rob Suisted