Best FREE Things To Do & See In Wellington, New Zealand

Updated: 27th September 2026

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand and is located at the very southern tip of the North Island. For a capital city, Wellington is small yet vibrant, and a surprisingly great destination for budget travellers in New Zealand because there are so many amazing free things to see and do!

The city has the nickname ‘Windy Wellington’ and is a hilly, coastal city with a picturesque harbour, museums, art galleries, New Zealand’s parliament, botanic gardens and vibrant and lively nightlife.

Wellington is one of our favourite major cities to visit in New Zealand. Both Fiachra and I really enjoyed exploring Wellington. We visited Wellington on numerous occasions throughout our time in New Zealand. We have always found the city to have plenty of charm, a wonderful and relaxed feel to it, and heaps of things to do.

Despite being the capital of New Zealand, many travellers to the country do not spend much time in Wellington or omit it from their itinerary altogether. I understand it is a small city and far from any other touristy major towns and cities, but if you do find yourself visiting Wellington, I’m sure you will find your time there enjoyable.

There are many great sightseeing opportunities in Wellington, and all the best things to do in Wellington are FREE! This post is a run-through of the best free things to see and do in Wellington, most of which can be done in a 1-day itinerary!

Best Free Things To Do In Wellington City, New Zealand

• Related Read: Wellington Food Guide: 10 Delicious Must-Try Cheap Eats
• Read my New Zealand Travel Guide for awesome travel tips!

1. Walk Up Mount Victoria For A Great View

Head to the lookout at the top of Mount Victoria for a beautiful 360-degree view of Wellington!

Mount Victoria is a 196m high hill, and the area includes surrounding parkland. It is part of Wellington’s town belt.

It’s the perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and get into nature. The viewpoint is also a great way to orientate yourself better with the layout of the city.

Mount Victoria is very close to Wellington’s city centre so you could walk in and out of town.

There are several walking and cycling tracks around Mount Victoria. Take a look at the signs in the park to determine your route. Walking to the top will take about 30-60 minutes depending on which route you take and your pace.

It is possible to get the bus or drive to the lookout too, but walking is a really nice way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Fun fact: Mount Victoria was used as a film location for The Lord Of The Rings movies!

2. Stroll Along The Wellington Waterfront

Wellington’s waterfront is a nice area to enjoy a stroll and enjoy views across Wellington Harbour.

The waterfront is very close to the CBD, and there are lots of nice cafes, bars and open spaces. I enjoyed wandering around and enjoying the scenery!

The area is pedestrian only and there are lots of interesting plaques and artworks to view. Make sure to check out the Solace in the Wind statue by Max Patte.

Wellington Waterfront is also home to the ‘Wellington’ sign, which makes a great photo op!

3. Take A Free Guided Tour Of New Zealand’s Parliament At The Beehive

Take the opportunity to visit New Zealand’s Parliament on their daily FREE guided tours! The tours run every day of the week and explore parts of New Zealand’s Parliament buildings, including the Beehive! On the tour, you can learn about the parliamentary process and spaces, plus see artworks and objects in the Parliamentary Collection.

Joining a New Zealand Parliament tour was one of the best free things that I did in Wellington! I thought the tour guides were great and I learned a lot about democracy in New Zealand. It was also quite interesting to be inside the rooms that you see a lot on TV, such as the place where the familiar Covid-19 announcements take place!

There are several different tours that you can do in Parliament, depending on your interests and how much time you have. We did the Introducing Parliament Tour, which is a regular daily tour and takes around 60 minutes.

Booking is essential and it’s super easy to book a place on a public tour. Just call the Parliament desk, email or book online – check out the details here.

You’ll need to go through an airport-style scanner to enter the Parliament, so just make sure that you don’t have anything untoward in your bag!

Parliament Tours run every day on the hour from 10:00 – 16:00.

4. Explore Contempory Art At City Gallery Wellington (Te Whare Toi)

Get your art fix at the awesome City Gallery Wellington. The City Gallery is the centre of contemporary art in Wellington.

There are two floors of changing exhibitions, so there’s always something great to see. Have a look at what’s on at the City Gallery here. Entry to the exhibitions is FREE!

I enjoyed everything we saw at the City Gallery and thought it was well worth our time!

The City Gallery Wellington is open 10:00 – 17:00 Mon – Sun, and on Thurs open late until 21:00.

• Related Reading: 10 Best Street Art Cities In New Zealand’s North Island and 25 Big Things In North Island | New Zealand Giant Sculptures

5. View The Actual Treaty Of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) At The National Library Of NZ

See the ORIGINAL Treaty of Waitangi at the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington.

He Tohu is an exhibition of 3 iconic constitutional documents that helped to shape New Zealand as we know it today. The documents on display are:

• 1835 The Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand
• 1840 The Treaty of Waitangi
• 1893 The Women’s Suffrage Petition

There is a FREE exhibition to enjoy at the library to learn about the significance of these documents. Just wander in and have a look!

You can do a self-guided visit or join a FREE guided tour of the exhibition at the library! Find out how here.

I learned all about the Treaty of Waitangi when I visited the amazing Waitangi Treaty Grounds in Northland.

However, it is quite a long journey to Waitangi, and the cost of visiting is quite expensive (but worth it!), especially for international visitors.

Therefore, visiting this free exhibition at the National Library of New Zealand is a great time- and money-saving alternative!

The National Library of New Zealand is open 9:00 – 17:00 Mon – Fri and 9:00 – 13:00 Sat. It’s open on Waitangi Day and closed on other public holidays.

6. Step Inside Old St Paul’s Cathedral

Old St Paul’s Cathedral was built in 1865-66, which makes it one of New Zealand’s best heritage buildings.

The interior of Old St Paul’s is really lovely to see. It is constructed from native timber in a series of soaring arches, which are enhanced by lighting through stained glass windows.

It is one of the best examples of Gothic Revival Architecture in the world.

You can visit Old St Paul’s daily from 10:00 – 16:00. It is closed on Good Friday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day until 13:00.

7. Learn About Wellington’s History At Wellington Museum

Learn all about Wellington at the FREE to visit Wellington Museum!

The museum is set within an 1892 heritage building known as the Bond Store. The charming building was used to store bonded cargo on the waterfront, and you will be transported back to this time as you enter the museum!

As you continue to explore the exhibitions over several floors, you will learn about the maritime history of the Wellington region, including the 1968 Wahine disaster. As you reach the attic, you will enter the weird and wonderful stories of Wellington in a steampunk-styled exhibition space.

There are lots of interesting things to learn at the Wellington Museum. I thoroughly enjoyed spending a couple of hours there!

The Wellington Museum is open 10:00 – 17:00 seven days a week.

8. Wander Along Oriental Parade & Oriental Bay Beach

Oriental Parade is a lovely recreational area, and Oriental Bay Beach is the closest beach to Wellington city centre.

Both the beach and the parade are nice places to enjoy a walk or a relaxing time.

The Carter Fountain can be seen slightly offshore and operates on a schedule.

Fun fact: In 2004, Oriental Bay was enhanced using 22,000 tonnes of sand from Golden Bay in Nelson! The beach’s sand area is now four times larger than before.

9. Enjoy The Wellington Botanic Gardens

Head to the Wellington Botanic Gardens to enjoy 25 hectares of beautiful botanical displays, landscapes and forests!

The Wellington Botanic Gardens were established in 1868, so there is a great history on the site too.

Prior to the gardens, the site was important for Māori, who used the area for cultivating food and collecting native plants for many uses including medicine, clothing and building materials.

There is lots to explore in the Wellington Botanic Gardens, plus plenty of walking tracks along with sculptures to spot.

The Begonia House and Lady Norwood Rose Garden were highlights for me. There is also the Treehouse Visitor Centre, which has toilets and a shop.

Wellington Botanic Garden is open 24/7! But indoor areas may have opening hours.

10. See Glowworms In Wellington For FREE!

New Zealand’s magical glowworms can be seen for free at the Wellington Botanic Gardens.

To see the glowworms at Wellington Botanic Garden, visit at dusk or at night and head to the Duck Pond near the Pipitea entrance on Glenmore Street.

You can find glow worms along the banks of the stream, hidden between the foliage and in the shady areas.

Have a look at the Wellington Botanic Gardens map here.

• Related Read: 9 FREE Places To See Glow Worms In The North Island

11. See The Wellington Cable Car & Visit The Museum

It costs money to ride the famous Wellington Cable Car, but you can see it for FREE from the Wellington Botanic Gardens.

The viewpoint for the Wellington Cable Car at the gardens is near the Kelburn Station Terminal. From there, you can see the iconic view of Wellington city and the Cable Car!

At this spot, you can also visit the Cable Car Museum and be transported back in time to see how Wellington’s most iconic transport system has developed since the early 1900s! Entry to the Cable Car Museum is FREE and is open 10:00 – 17:00 seven days a week.

You can walk to the Botanic Gardens from Wellington city centre (free), or take the bus or travel on the Cable Car for a small fee.

My favourite route is to take the Cable Car up and walk back down (the Botanic Gardens are on a hill).

From Lambton Quay in the city centre, enjoy the ride on the Cable Car to the Kelburn Station and explore the Botanic Gardens from there. You can return back to the city with a scenic 40-minute walk along the City to Sea walkway.

If you’re spending a few days in Wellington, then I recommend getting a Snapper card to use on public transport in Wellington. With this card, you can travel on the Cable Car for a lower price!

If you don’t want to get the Snapper Card or are just spending a day or so in the city, then you can get a return trip on the cable car for $13 per person.

12. See The Windy Wellington Sign

Wellington is known for its strong winds, earning it the nickname “Windy Wellington” due to its position between the Cook Strait and the surrounding hills.

To pay homage to this nickname, the Windy Wellington sign was installed in 2012. It is a ‘Hollywood’-style sign that says ‘Wellington’ with several letters being blown away in the wind. It is now a fun landmark in the city.

The sign is located on the side of a hill on the Miramar Peninsula, next to the Wellington Airport.

You can take a trip to see the Windy Wellington sign on Miramar Ave and stand right beneath it!

If you don’t fancy going there, you can also see it from the top of Mount Victoria at the lookout!

13. Admire Wellington’s Street Art & Murals

Like many cities in New Zealand, Wellington is home to lots of street art and murals.

Wellington has pride in its creativity and the Wellington City Council has put together an Art On Walls map to help you find all of Wellington’s street art and murals.

If you’re just looking to see the most famous street art locations in Wellington, then visit Egmont St and Ghuznee St. Egmont Street is a charming laneway with colourful street art to enjoy. And Wellington’s most iconic and loved street art is Xoe Hall’s mural to David Bowie on Ghuznee Street

14. Hang Out On Cuba St & See The Bucket Fountain

Cuba Street is Wellington’s most famous street. Located in the heart of the city, Cuba St is full of quirky shops, street art, buskers, bars, and cafés and showcases Wellington’s vibrant and lively culture. It is well worth spending some time exploring this little street!

My favourite highlight of Cuba St is the Bucket Fountain – a funny sculpture with lots of buckets pouring water into each other.

Cuba St also has buildings with lots of beautiful architectural styles from Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco.

15. Visit Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum Of New Zealand)

A note on Te Papa: Te Papa used to be the best free thing to do in Wellington, but sadly as of 2024 they have introduced entry fees for visitors to New Zealand.

The museum is still free for residents of New Zealand, so that includes people who are staying in New Zealand long term, such as on a visa.

If you need a ticket, you can get a ticket online here. The ticket is valid for 2 days, which is good because the museum is huge and requires more than one visit!

Te Papa is an amazing museum that is an absolute MUST DO on your trip to Wellington.

The HUGE museum is chock-a-block full of incredibly curated exhibitions and collections. There is art, sculpture, natural history, the environment and New Zealand’s geological history, Māori and the history of the people of New Zealand, and much, much more. Check out their exhibitions here.

There’s so much to explore at Te Papa that you will need a good few hours or perhaps split the exhibitions into shorter visits over several days.

Two highlights of my visit were the earthquake house (experience what an earthquake feels like… kind of!) and the Gallipoli The Scale Of Our War exhibition.

Te Papa Gallipoli Exhibition

The Gallipoli exhibition is a special exhibition at Te Papa that features HUGE sculptures depicting scenes from World War I made by the incredible Weta Workshop.

Weta Workshop creates costumes and effects for movies such as Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit, as well as other creative endeavours. You can visit Weta Workshop in Wellington and go on a tour, but it can be quite expensive.

If you don’t have the money (or the time – their tour is 4 hours!) to visit Weta Workshop, then going to the Gallipolli exhibition at Te Papa is a great way to see the skill of the artists and what they can create. You can take a look around the Gallipolli exhibition in around 1 hour.

Te Papa is now only free for residents of New Zealand, as they have started to charge entry fees for international visitors. If you need a ticket, you can get a ticket online here, and it is valid for 2 days’ entry!

Te Papa is open 10:00 – 18:00 Mon – Sun (every day except Christmas Day).

• Related Read: 10 Unmissable Experiences In The North Island, New Zealand

Best FREE Things To See & Do In Wellington, New Zealand – Thanks For Reading!

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital city and has plenty of free things to see and do for budget travellers to the city. From museums and art galleries to street art and vibrant bohemian street life, Wellington is sure to blow you away! 😆 Enjoy your visit to windy Wellington! – Lauren x

Where to next?: Fancy doing a stunning coastal hike just 45 minutes from Wellington by train? Make a day trip to the Escarpment Track: A Beautiful Walk From Paekakariki to Pukerua Bay on the Kapiti Coast

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