Discover Whanganui

Whanganui brings together Māori cultural heritage, art, river history and nature experiences. At the Whanganui Regional Museum, you can discover a taonga collection that includes remarkable creations of the Tūpuna of Whanganui Tangata Whenua. Other highlights include a restored steamship, a unique route to Durie Hill and a forest walk at Rotokawau Virginia Lake Reserve. The city offers a range of ways to shape your travel plans.

Art and culture in Whanganui

The Whanganui Regional Museum also showcases its internationally renowned taonga collection on a one-hour museum tour. Available by arrangement during opening hours, the tour costs NZ$20 per person. The collection gives your museum visit a clear cultural focus: it centres on creations of the Tūpuna of Whanganui Tangata Whenua. If you are interested in Māori art and history, you can plan this tour as a separate activity.

Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery also offers an extensive connection to art: its collection includes more than 8,300 artworks spanning 400 years. Exhibitions and events are held there on an ongoing basis. This offers a different kind of cultural experience from a museum visit: changing exhibitions and events can take centre stage, while the collection encompasses works from several centuries.

New Zealand Glassworks / Te Whare Tūhua o Te Ao combines a publicly accessible studio for glass artists with a contemporary glass art gallery. Workshops are also available for all experience levels. If you are interested not only in viewing art but also in how it is made, this is a distinctive way to explore glass. The steamship Waimarie tells a different story: it was raised from the depths of the Whanganui River and restored to its former condition.

City history and views

A standout experience is the Durie Hill Elevator. New Zealand’s only public passenger elevator is used daily by locals and visitors. It is reached via a 213-metre-long pedestrian tunnel; the 66-metre-long elevator connects Whanganui city centre with Durie Hill. The tunnel and elevator make the journey itself an unusual part of the cityscape. The viewing platform at the Durie Hill War Memorial Tower offers panoramic views of the city, the Whanganui River and the port.

Various places around the city offer further glimpses of its history. At Moutoa Gardens, the Kemp Monument commemorates the Muaupoko leader Te Rangihiwinui, also known as Taitako and later as Te Keepa or Major Kemp. In Whanganui’s Cooks Gardens, the former Fire Watchtower stands as a rare relic of the fire prevention system and volunteer fire brigade of the late 19th century. It is also a significant feature of the Cooks Gardens memorial and civic precinct. These different memorial sites reflect different aspects of the city’s history.

Nature and local markets

At Rotokawau Virginia Lake Reserve, a 25-minute forest walk takes you through nature. The reserve also offers a variety of birdwatching opportunities and an aviary. The Bason Botanic Gardens are located near Whanganui. There you will find one of New Zealand’s largest public orchid collections and unique greenhouse architecture. Nature watching, a walk and botanical collections offer a range of options to suit different interests.

The Whanganui River Markets take place every Saturday and feature more than 100 stalls. Local food producers, art and traditional crafts, plants and street food shape the offering. The market is an opportunity to discover a range of local products and creations on a Saturday. If you would like to include food and crafts in your trip alongside culture and nature, you can plan a visit to the market as a separate activity.

Which holiday rental suits your trip?

The activities vary considerably in character—from a pre-arranged museum tour and glass art workshops to a forest walk. Choose Whanganui as your destination if this mix of culture, river connections and nature suits your interests; you can then choose accommodation to suit your own travel plans.

For the broader travel overview: Wanganui District.