Founded in 1987 by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, Wētā Workshop is a special effects, prop, board game, miniatures and video game production house based in Miramar. Famous for its work with NZ director Sir Peter Jackson on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it runs guided tours of the Wētā Cave, a moviemaking museum and gift shop that’s an essential destination for traveling cinema fans.
Tour with Movie Industry Guides
On the 90-minute Wētā Workshop tour, authoritative and entertaining guides – most have actually worked on various movies – lead groups through studios and workrooms. Costumes, special effects, make-up techniques and prop weapons from movies, including The Lord of the Rings, Avatar and District 9, are all showcased, and tours are entertaining even if you’re not a Tolkien tragic or a Middle-Earth maniac.
Photo ops include trying on battle armor and waving around prop weapons, and some workrooms feature special-effects artists at work. Tours are designed to be accessible, but pre-book your ticket, particularly during peak season (October to April), as tours often sell out. If you’re a diehard LOTR fan in two minds about taking this or the Auckland tour, pick this one. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at real-life movies made by Wētā.
Souvenirs Galore
Tours conclude with a final visit to the Wētā Cave, where you can buy mementos from the many films the Academy Award-winning props and special effects company has worked on, including a dizzying array of books, figurines and collectables.
