The Arts House Trust

Top choice in Auckland

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Housed in a gorgeous 1879 mansion with views to One Tree Hill and the Manukau Harbour, this arts centre is endowed with contemporary NZ art from an extensive private collection, which is changed every four to six weeks. Have lunch on the veranda at the excellent Homestead Cafe and wander among the magnificent trees in the surrounding park. The art is also very accessible, ranging from a life-size skeletal rugby ruck to a vibrant Ziggy Stardust painted on glass.

Bus 305 or 295 (Lynfield) departs every 15 minutes from Queen St – outside the Civic Theatre – and heads to Hillsborough Rd ($5.50, 40 minutes).

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • One Tree Hill monument in Auckland, New Zealand.

    One Tree Hill

    1.49 MILES

    Maungakiekie was the largest and most spiritually significant Māori pā (fortified village) prior to British arrival. At the top of this volcanic cone (at…

  • Aerial of the Mount Eden volcano in Auckland, New Zealand.

    Mt Eden

    2.51 MILES

    From the top of Auckland’s highest volcanic cone (196m), the entire isthmus and both harbours are laid bare. The symmetrical crater (50m deep) is known as…

  • Auckland War Memorial Museum.

    Auckland Museum

    3.79 MILES

    This imposing neoclassical temple (1929), capped with an impressive copper-and-glass dome (2007), dominates the Auckland Domain and is a prominent part of…

  • The entrance of the Auckland Art Gallery (or Toi o Tāmaki in Māori), located below Albert Park in the city centre.

    Auckland Art Gallery

    4.34 MILES

    Auckland's premier art repository has a striking glass-and-wood atrium grafted onto its 1887 French chateau frame. It showcases the best of NZ art, along…

  • Man O' War

    Man O' War

    23.45 MILES

    Settle in with a tapas platter and a glass of Man O' War's Valhalla chardonnay at Waiheke's only beachfront tasting room. If the weather is good, go for a…

  • Maungawhau Visitor Experience Centre

    Maungawhau Visitor Experience Centre

    2.74 MILES

    Opened in late 2019, this excellent visitor centre showcases the geological and Māori cultural history of Maungawhau/Mt Eden. Highlights include an…

  • A large lizard in its enclosure at the Auckland Zoo, New Zealand.

    Auckland Zoo

    4.22 MILES

    At this modern, spacious zoo, the big foreigners tend to steal the attention from the timid natives, but if you can wrestle the kids away from the tigers…

  • Civic Theatre in Auckland.

    Civic Theatre

    4.37 MILES

    The 'mighty Civic' (1929) is one of only seven ‘atmospheric theatres’ remaining in the world and a fine survivor from cinema’s Golden Age. The auditorium…

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Nearby Auckland attractions

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Near the excellent children’s playground, this observatory offers regular stargazing and planetarium shows that aren’t dependent on Auckland’s fickle…

2. One Tree Hill

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Maungakiekie was the largest and most spiritually significant Māori pā (fortified village) prior to British arrival. At the top of this volcanic cone (at…

3. Mt Eden

2.51 MILES

From the top of Auckland’s highest volcanic cone (196m), the entire isthmus and both harbours are laid bare. The symmetrical crater (50m deep) is known as…

4. Eden Garden

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On Mt Eden's rocky eastern slopes, this mature garden is noted for its camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas.

5. Alberton

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A classic colonial mansion (1863), Alberton featured as a backdrop for some scenes in The Piano. It's a 1km walk from Mt Albert train station.

6. Maungawhau Visitor Experience Centre

2.74 MILES

Opened in late 2019, this excellent visitor centre showcases the geological and Māori cultural history of Maungawhau/Mt Eden. Highlights include an…

7. Highwic

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A marvellous Carpenter Gothic house (1862), sitting amid lush, landscaped grounds.

8. Auckland Domain

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Covering about 80 hectares, this green swath contains the Auckland Museum, sports fields, interesting sculpture, formal gardens, wild corners and the…

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