Located in an 1892 waterfront bond store, Te Waka Huia Wellington Museum (museumswellington.org.nz) offers an interactive experience of the city’s social and maritime history across four floors. Permanent exhibitions include a moving documentary on the Wahine, the interisland ferry that sank in the harbor in 1968 with the loss of 51 lives, and the curio-packed Attic. Māori pūrākau (stories) are dramatically told using tiny holographic actors and special effects.
Designed with accessibility in mind, the museum is wheelchair-friendly (accessible toilets, good lift access, a public-use wheelchair) and runs a low-sensory hour on the first Thursday of every month from 4pm to 5pm exclusively for visitors who prefer low light and sound environments. Admission coupled with a guided tour (adult/child $19/13) is also available. Use the online form to book ahead or make inquiries.
