Art & Heritage Archives

New Plymouth Festival of Lights attractions and things to do

Unforgettable light sculptures, illuminated waterfalls and quirky coloured lit objects with kids excitedly jumping, ...

Bannockburn Sluicings attraction, things to do

Discover the Bannockburn sluicings, a historic attraction nearby the Lake Dunstan walk / cycle trail. Bannockburn ...

Boutique cinemas, where to go in Auckland

New Zealand Auckland boutique cinemas are great winter entertainment, romantic moments and the sense of space makes ...

Waitaki River, three dams, three lakes

Waitaki River is a braided river of 209 km flowing into the Pacific Ocean between Timaru and Oamaru. Waitaki River ...

Totara Estate, Heritage NZ place to visit

TOTARA ESTATE is where the New Zealand economy took off. Find out about NZ’s industrial heritage made fun with an ...

Maori Rock Art places to visit and what to do nearby

Pre-European Maori navigated the length of the Waitaki River and found shelter under the limestone cliffs at ...

Oamaru Victorian precinct what to do, attractions

Intact Oamaru’s Victorian town precinct is a must-visit attraction for heritage fans with magnificent whitestone ...

Oamaru & Waitaki district heritage trails

Oamaru Victorian precinct is a trip highlight yet Oamaru & Waitaki district is a rich treasure trove of heritage ...

Gold trails, heritage sites mining, story of Central Otago & West Coast prospectors

There’s gold in the’ hills … the lure of instant fortune. The rush was in full flood in 1861 with Gabriel’s Gully ...

Dunedin historic prison things to do

Unlock stories of executions, illicit breweries and misdeeds that led to imprisonment in the former jail, Dunedin’s ...

Dunedin, the odd, unusual, fascinating and weird things to do

Dunedin is a bucket list destination for the macabre, the odd skulls in mysterious museums and a piano longer than ...

Gumfields Park, Northland, attraction, things to do

Extractive industry. Similar to other parts of Northland, digging and mining of Kauri Gum used to bring money into ...

Battle of Gate Pa, Tauranga & Te Papa Mission cemetery

Explore and absorb one of the narratives of the NZ Land Wars. The 19th century Land Wars had one urban battle and ...

The Elms Mission homestead, gardens & Mission cemetery, Tauranga attractions & things to do

Discover a place echoing the lives of people for over 800 years. Find out about the personal lives of people caught ...

Books, holidays, reading, where to go in New Zealand for a great book

Travel the slow lane with an actual book, Savour the scent of a newly opened book with its crisp, never touched ...

12 heritage places, unmissable must-go destinations in New Zealand

Discover Aotearoa New Zealand historical narrative with heritage sites ranging from a battlefield location to ...

Firth Tower & open air historical village

Discover a Matamata jewel and New Zealand treasure for heritage buffs. One of New Zealand’s largest open air ...

Whanganui River Road heritage locations, places to visit

What are the key culture & heritage places to visit on the Whanganui river road? A rich legacy of Maori ...

Whanganui Waimarie Centre and River Cruise

Listen to river tales while you gently cruise your way up the river on a historic riverboat. MUST-DO EXPERIENCE

Nz Glassworks Whanganui

Discover one of NZ’s cultural hot spots, whanganui with the Sarjeant Gallery, NZ Glasswork as highlights among ...

Sarjeant gallery Te Whare o Rehua, Whanganui

Discover one of NZ’s cultural hot spots, whanganui with the Sarjeant Gallery, NZ Glasswork as highlights among ...

Whanganui art galleries attractions & where to go shopping

Discover one of NZ’s cultural hot spots, whanganui with the Sarjeant Gallery, NZ Glasswork as highlights among ...

Putiki Church and Maori church architectural treasures (Taonga) in Whanganui

A church with a love story behind its glorious architecture. Elaborate Maori carved imagery, woven panels and the ...

Whanganui culture & heritage trail attractions and things to do

Wow, Whanganui, winner of Aotearoa New Zealand’s ‘Most Beautiful City’ award in 2019 and 2021 is now a UNESCO City ...

Ultimate guide to attractions on the Lambton Quay to Wellington Cable Car walk

Combine with Wellington laneways, street art and street food - Best Bits, and spend a day strolling through ...

Public sculptures Lambton Quay

Nz wellington street sculpture attractions where to go and what to see

Old bank arcade buildings

Elegant cityscape triangle wedged stone buildings are a superb example of the advent of modern commercial ...

Victoria Law Faculty – original 19th government building

The largest, most magnificent wooden building in the Southern hemisphere was originally the home of the colonial ...

Raglan, Waikato old school arts centre

Community life is the breath of the Old School Arts Centre with films, workshops, events, creative weekend market, ...

Alberton heritage farmhouse now nestled in suburban Auckland

Discover the layers of domestic life for wealthy European settlers in the late 19th century in Auckland.

Eat & drink 10 heritage locations in Auckland to explore

Discover quaint pubs, rustic cottages or impressive heritage buildings in Auckland, NZ now housing an array of ...

Cambridge Museum what to see and do

The Cambridge Museum, housed in the original courthouse, bookends one end of the main street. Conveniently close to ...

Auckland specialist museums what to see and where to go

Discover interesting collections of ceramics, musical instruments and ethnographic villages dedicated to the story ...

Auckland military sites and heritage trails

Discover forgotten military bunkers, forts, memorials and museums. Explore the story of Aotearoa New Zealand at war ...

Auckland cemeteries where to go and what to see

Where the bodies are buried is a comtemplative place of quiet with planted trees, shady spots to rest and relax and ...

Auckland city top heritage places to visit

Auckland heritage is hidden in plain sight. Look at the Auckland skyline and buildings and identify an original ...

Waikato quirky cool collections, oddities, museums places to go

Discover a fascinating location for a cafe nestled amidst 1950’s memorabilla celebrating the hayday of petrol ...

Marlborough art, culture & heritage trail

Find the location of the first documented landing of people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Delve into the murky waters of ...

Hillsborough Holden museum New Plymouth attraction

Hillsborough Holden Museum is the lifetime passion of Steve Fabish with an extraordinary collection honouring the ...

Potters Collective, Te Henui Vicarage historic building

The pottery building is stunning. One of New Zealand’s oldest buildings with a direct connection with the ...

New Plymouth Puke Ariki Museum things to do

Enjoy finding a museum which is wrapped around a library experience. The library is the perfect place to hang out ...

Govett-Brewster Contemporary Art Gallery & Len Lye Centre attraction

The Museum of Contemporary Art Govett-Brewster Art Gallery is a building glimmering in the light with stainless ...

National museum of the royal New Zealand Navy

An essential part of your day trip to Devonport is the Torpedo Naval Museum. It is fascinating for anyone ...

Stoddart Cottage, Diamond Harbour art & heritage

Heritage meets art in a beautifully restored Stoddart colonial cottage. The birthplace of well known Canterbury ...

Christchurch art galleries, artisan outlets & art scene

Delve into an exploration of Christchurch’s world class public art gallery and museums. Walk among inspirational ...

Kerikeri Day Trip – Te Waimate & Ngawha Pools

Relish a day indulging the senses. You will soak in geothermal mineral pools curated with you in mind. Discover the ...

Wellington laneways, street art and street food

Find Hannahs Laneway, Eva Street, Egmont Street and Te Aro corners for a free public street art display. There are ...

Wellington military history trail

Abandoned military bunkers, forts, memorials and museums tell the story of Aotearoa New Zealand at war and peace. ...

Rotorua Government Gardens

A free public historic garden open 24/7 is a highlight for many visitors. The gorgeous garden is nestled on the ...

Rotorua Museums & Art Galleries things to do

A buried village, the Rotorua museum and where souvenirs are created.

Te Puia geothermal centre & Maori Art and Craft Institute

Temptation, beautiful jewelled objects would make a perfect holiday memento. And then there is the sheer power of a ...

Rotorua Whakarewarewa: an iconic living Maori village

Bedazzled, one of New Zealand’s most unforgettable experiences, Whakarewarewa: New Zealand's Iconic Living Maori ...

Northland culture and heritage trails

Forget the history books and see how contemporary Northland is defining Aotearoa New Zealand. Northland is the ...

Greymouth & Grey district heritage places of interest

The Grey district has a diverse range of buildings and sites to observe on your travels. It’s part of the story of ...

Brunner Mine Site attraction, things to do

The Brunner Mine was one of several mines situated on the banks of the Grey River, at an area known as "Coal Gorge" ...

Denniston Plateau, Westport what to see and do

Denniston is an extraordinary evocative landscape that is unforgettable for its messaging about the role of coal ...

West Coast ghosts, cemeteries and quirky personalities

The West Coast is fertile ground for ghosts, abandoned cemeteries and lost towns. The cycle of boom and bust with ...

Unusual creatures found only in Aotearoa New Zealand

Aotearoa is a land where the national bird forgot to fly. Wings are definitely overrated in New Zealand for several ...

2 heritage sites and a lake where water is optional to visit from nearby Kerikeri

Staying in Mangonui or Kerikeri and want to explore nearby? Here are two day trip ideas for your holiday with ...

Butler Point Whaling Museum

Interested in New Zealand’s seafaring history? Intrigued by the story of whalers then Butler Point is a must go ...

Ghosts, haunted, spooky New Zealand hotels

Ghosts haunting hotels is a recurring theme when guests have lost their lives in a fire, displeased with the ...

Where the bodies are buried

Macabre, why would you want to go? Cemeteries, death are subjects not ususually on the tourist radar. Yet the ...

9 inspiring reasons to linger in the Tasman Village

A hidden treasure, Tasman Village, Nelson. A place that is quickly passed on the way to the glittering gold sands ...

8 great reasons to visit Nelson

Superb weather, outstanding scenery, active adventures or lolling on the beach or meandering the art scene Nelson ...

Otago art and culture trail

Where to go to find an original fabulous art piece is the perpetual question facing culture lovers, art collectors ...

Auckland War Memorial Museum

Set in one of the country’s finest heritage buildings, the museum has a wonderful display of over 2000 priceless ...

Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki

Has an extensive gift shop specialising in exhibitions on display as well as New Zealand gifts from well known ...

Wellington Museum

Take a walk along Wellington’s waterfront to find one of New Zealand’s architecturally significant buildings. The ...

Matiu/Somes island, day trip from Wellington — what to do

An inviting picturesque island bang smack in the middle of the harbour invites the question, what happened there? A ...

Akaroa cemeteries, cultural forays into the past

Discover reimagined Frenchness wrapped in a contemporary Aoteoaroa New Zealand visitor experience. Indulge in a ...

10 Mission Stations in Northland

North Island mission stations, 1845 – Missions and missionaries explains how the three major church denominations ...

10 historic hotels worth a night or two

A number of the heritage hotels have a lively bar scene which is generally noisy as well as not closing until the ...

6 Dunedin heritage places to visit with kids

Let’s get the kids yourself to places where there is something to engage young minds so that your holiday peace ...

Rotorua Ohinemutu Heritage Village & St Faiths Church

Ohinemutu is a heritage village with occupation reaching back hundreds of years. The warm geothermal waters ...

Rotorua Buried Village the story of the Tarawera Eruption

A working archaeological village is New Zealand’s Pompeii, a village buried under the ash and pyroclastic flow of ...

Port Chalmers heritage trail, where to go and what to see

Dunedin’s port town offers visitors a wealth of quirky historical sites and places to visit. A mere 15 – 20 minutes ...

Creating stuff, culture, art workshops in Northland

Culture & heritage is expressed through contemporary art galleries, workshops and events. Northland workshops to ...

Nelson Guide Summer Festivals, Art and Museums

Sunny weather, beaches, rivers and vineyards to linger in, it’s no wonder artists are drawn to a Nelson lifestyle. ...

Let’s go to Kawakawa and check out public toilets

Kawakawa is often bypassed by traffic on State Highway intent on reaching Northland. It is a mistake as it is the ...

Historic Golden Bay, Collingwood and surrounding district

Collingwood has experienced a short lived gold rush, an era of extractive industry from flax, coal and timber to ...

Gore District 10 museums, galleries and heritage buildings worth a visit

Perhaps the Southland Plains is a foreign country for most kiwis. That gives North Islanders and overseas visitors ...

8 glorious monuments to visit in Dunedin

The choice of monuments and statues worth visiting in Dunedin is large. From contemporary public statements about ...

Dunedin street art: heritage buildings got a serious lick of new paint

It’s a brisk -10c in the sunshine (perhaps you better make sure you’ve a blunt umbrella in the backpack). It’s ...

Dunedin Heritage Walk 1

The best preserved Victorian / Edwardian cities in the Southern hemisphere Dunedin’s heritage trail is an easy ...

Dunedin an underrated heritage town, what to see and best things to do

Why go to Dunedin? Rather the question should be, ‘Don’t skip town without spending time exploring Dunedin’s ...

Denniston Plateau & Millerton: abandoned coal mining towns

On your way to the well known Denniston historic coal mining site you will find towns with a coal mining legacy ...

Day trip from Napier to Taradale: a suburb with a colourful past

A perfect day where you can indulge the senses with a wine tour, or two. Engage in a brisk walk through New Zealand ...

Cromwell & Bannockburn 9 historical sites worth a slow wander

Ghost cottages, relics and abandoned machinery echoes of the gold rush days of the 1800’s make Cromwell a magical ...

Coromandel Art Escape Weekend

The Coromandel art scene explodes with colour and vitality every year on art escape weekend. A great weekend road ...

Christchurch street art journey

A Christchurch visitor highlight for art lovers is a walking tour of the street art that emerged after the ...

8 Whangarei Heritage & Cultural Attractions Worth a Visit

Northland is a gateway for human occupation reaching back hundreds of years. Whangarei and its rivers was fertile ...

Cemeteries Central Otago: trip attractions, things to see

History buffs do not forget the treasure trove of information to be read on old gravestones. The reason for the ...

Abandoned ghost towns

NZJane has a fascination with the emptiness, disappeared people, disappeared life, just empty decaying buildings. ...

Where it all started, Hokianga Harbour, Kupe and the story of Aotearoa

A harbour framed by soaring sand dunes is a majestic sight as drivers sweep around the curve into the Hokianga ...