Discover Aotearoa: Māori Culture Tour

Embark on a one-hour journey with a Māori guide through the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa. Experience the living and breathing taonga of the first peoples of the land.

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa - The Māori words ‘Te Papa Tongarewa’ mean ‘container of treasures’. At the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, you’ll discover the treasures of our land and people, and hear their stories told with authority and passion.
    The Museum is built on a unique bi-cultural partnership that recognizes and…
What's Included
  • General Admission
  • Professional Tour Guide
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fee to short-term paid exhibitions
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Food and drinks
Additional Information

Explore the vibrant indigenous culture of Aotearoa New Zealand with this one-hour introductory tour, led by our knowledgeable and experienced hosts. This tour emphasizes essential Māori content and concepts within Te Papa, providing a warm introduction to te ao Māori — the Māori world.
Through a collection of important taonga (treasures), the guide will…

Location
55 Cable Street
Cable Street
Departure Point: Te Papa, Wellington Waterfront
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(23 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Bradziker1
Mar 15, 2024
great interactive exhibits. - This is a fantastic museum- and free. There is a special dinosaur exhibit that was expensive - so I did not enter that part. All exhibits had signs in English and Maori and good explanations. My favorite was the earthquake house which simulates a 4.6 earthquake. There was a 10 minute wait, and only 8 people can fit in at once, so make sure you have time. Our tour group only had 1.5 hours, so its not enough time to see everything. I did stop by the ground floor cafe - it takes a very long time in line and to order and get your food. i had fries - they were about $5USD and a huge quantity and hot. This is definitely a museum worth stopping by.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cat_h
Feb 25, 2024
Wonderful informative history lesson - Loved the museum, and this tour. Angela is an amazing ambassador for her heritage, and passing on some knowledge for us to be more aware of the Māori history.
Review provided by Viator
Greggarnett
Jan 24, 2024
An absolute cultural immersion - Led by passionate guides, the tour delved deep into the stories and traditions of the Māori people. From the powerful haka demonstration to the intricacies of traditional wood carving, every moment was a connection to Aotearoa's rich heritage. The interactive sessions, where we tried our hand at weaving and learned about the significance of taonga (treasures), made the experience both educational and hands-on. It's not just a tour; it's a heartfelt journey into the heart of Māori culture. If you're at Te Papa and want a meaningful encounter with New Zealand's indigenous roots, the Mana Māori Tour is an absolute must.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Magistros
Nov 10, 2023
What a place..! Great experience - Defiantly a place to visit, I had a great time and I was exposed to Maori culture and culture of Pacific People. There is an exhibition of European Pilgrims art and furniture, there you could see some Greek Orthodox Icons.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gihan
Apr 22, 2023
Very good tour - Very very informative tour. Highly recommend if you are in Wellington. Our guide was very enthusiastic about sharing his culture with visitors from all around the world.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathleen_s
Feb 10, 2023
Maori the navigators - Excellent guide . Beautiful displays to develop an appreciation of Maori history , expertise and culture
Review provided by Viator
Ksksksksks
Dec 27, 2022
A must visit - A must visit if in Wellington. I wish we had more time. Exhibits are nice, modern, interactive. Great experience for kids. Traveling from overseas, I particularly enjoyed the Māori exhibits on the top floor.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jadevaradi
Nov 21, 2022
Educational tour updated - My daughter and I really enjoyed our Mana Maori tour. Being Maori and educated I knew quite a bit but was a good opportunity for my daughter to learn from a professional not just her mama. The tour itself covered many areas of the museum which was great. I loved how the guide was honest and up to date with new understandings as the light gets brighter so to speak. That was refreshing not being stuck with old information, and nice to see others can get an accurate account of Polynesians that would become known as Maori. Would absolutely recommend otherwise walking around on your own you may miss they whole understanding of things.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lmwm7155
Jan 22, 2020
Apetizer tour - Visiting Te Papa Museum was important for me because I am staying in rural New Zealand for 6 months and, although I had availed myself of You Tube videos, I needed to know a more comprehensive history of Maori culture. From the start, the money was well worth the highlight tour. It wetted the appetite of my curious nature about the wonderful and mysterious Maori people. Warrior/whenau. A family oriented warrior culture? Who knew that many Maori can name the boat their ancestors travelled to New Zealand on? There is no way you could cover this museum in an hour or even an afternoon and do it justice, but the tour introduced me to places and customs to explore in person. It was a great place to start my 6 month journey to the land of the long white cloud!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Blondinelly
Nov 17, 2023
Maori culture - Not really much Maori culture and life to see. Would have liked to see and meet more people and watch when they work, etc.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $44
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).