Auckland War Memorial Museum, usually just referred to as Auckland Museum, was the first museum in New Zealand, established in 1852 in a simple two-room cottage. Today, the museum occupies a striking building, constructed from Portland stone in the 1920s. The front of the museum building incorporates the consecrated ground of Auckland’s Cenotaph and still serves an active role in the celebrations and memorials of New Zealand’s people.
Auckland Museum is packed with exhibitions and collections geared to ward preserving the artefacts of both indigenous and developing New Zealand cultures. There is an impressive collection of natural history specimens, paired with a vast collection of human history relics, pictoral collections and exhibitions geared toward children and families interested in learning more about New Zealand, it’s people and practices. The Auckland Museum is open most days from 10am to 5pm – there are two times the museum is closed, Christmas Day and ANZAC Day (morning). Admission is free for children under 16, and donation-based for adults.