The New Zealand Portrait Gallery — Attraction in North Island

I used this as a meeting place for a friend. It was a great place to start that was free and gave a talking point for the awkward silences in between conversation. The art styles ranged significantly from the kinda of photography you'd see on Instagram to the kind of fine art that really showed off the skill. There was at least 1 painting im sure you'll find which you'll like. By having such a large range together it's give a pretty good talking point to who ever your with about what you appreciate in art and what you could care less about. New Zealand culture and telling the story of the average person was the main running theme and it felt like a stage for those who are usually not seen but very important to society. I'd highly recommend as a starting point or an ending long to your museum tour...

The work they do is amazing, and I was very surprised when the director explained that the gallery isn't state-funded but relies on donations. It's amazing that they provide free access to culture for all. If you can, visit, leave a donation, and enjoy the well-curated exhibitions. (You can also buy something in the little museum shop, where they sell some great books)

When I was there, they had an exhibition on display that focused on art by Māori, and another one that showed photographs from the brilliant Abhi Chinniah. Her work is about colorism and tells stories of people who live in the diaspora. I can highly recommend visiting before the exhibition moves to Palmerston North...

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata is an art gallery in the Wellington waterfront precinct. It features regularly changing exhibitions of New Zealand portrait art and photography, and is a fantastic place to put a face (lots of actually) to the name of New Zealanders who have made this country what it is, and continue to do so - really a great way to learn about the history and contemporary live in New Zealand! Located in the historic Shed 11 building, the gallery is spacious and usually not very busy, so a great place to see some art and enjoy some peace and quiet time. Free entry usually but there is a koha...