Auckland War Memorial Museum

Auckland War Memorial Museum is a major public museum located within the Auckland Domain park and also serves as the principal war memorial for the Auckland region. The institution combines commemorative spaces with galleries that interpret natural history, regional history and indigenous collections.

Exhibits include large collections of Māori and Pacific artifacts, natural history specimens, and displays relating to New Zealand’s military history; the War Memorial Hall is the museum’s central commemorative space. The museum’s collections are used for public display, education and research.

The museum was established in the early 20th century and developed as both a civic museum and a memorial for those who served in wartime, with later expansions and gallery refurbishments to accommodate growing collections. It continues to host remembrance services and cultural programming.

The building stands on a raised site within the Auckland Domain, a large urban park near central Auckland, offering views across the city toward the Waitemata Harbour and providing convenient access from the central business district.

• Setting and views: Sited within the Auckland Domain park, the building occupies an elevated position with views over the Waitemata Harbour and the central city.
• Dual role: Functions both as the Auckland region's war memorial and as a public museum with major collections in natural history and Māori and Pacific material culture.

What to See #

• War Memorial Hall: The War Memorial Hall is the museum's focal commemorative space, dedicated to those from the Auckland region who served in wartime and used for remembrance services.
• Māori and Pacific collections: Large collections of Māori and Pacific artifacts form a major part of the museum's holdings and are displayed in dedicated galleries that explore indigenous histories and material culture.
• Natural history and regional history galleries: Natural history and regional history galleries cover New Zealand's flora, fauna and the human settlement of the Auckland region, with specimens and objects used for research and display.