Michael Fowler Centre

The Michael Fowler Centre is a concert hall in Wellington’s central city. Commissioned in 1975 as a replacement for the Town Hall, it opened to the public in 1983. Constructed on reclaimed land next to Te Ngākau Civic Square, it forms part of a cultural precinct along with the City Art Gallery, Central Library, and original Town Hall. The Town Hall is currently closed and due to re-open in 2025.

It is the pre-eminent concert site in central Wellington and home to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

The history

Designed by Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney of Warren and Mahoney, it was the brainchild of then-mayor Sir Michael Fowler. He had seen the pair’s Christchurch Town Hall build and wanted something bigger and better for Wellington. The architects worked with acousticians to devise ‘quadratic residual diffusers’ and spectacular reflective surfaces in wood. This achieved excellent sound quality for the audience and a unique spatial design effect in this auditorium.

Funding for the building was hard sought and Mayor Fowler was met with steep opposition to the project, not helped by a fundraising drive that flew him and several supporters around the world asking for money. The local daily papers were initially sceptical but after the building was opened it declared it a success. Fowler’s determination to build a world-quality concert venue drove the project and eventually, the hall was named in honour of him. He was knighted in 1981 in recognition of his service to the Wellington mayoralty.

The interior and exterior

The exterior of the Michael Fowler Centre contains a lighting system which allows light to be reflected off the concrete panels of the building. These lights have been used to mark significant occasions such as local LGBT Pride events, 125 years of women’s suffrage in New Zealand, and the birth of Prince George of Cambridge.

Inside, large multi-coloured fabric wall hangings adorn the double-height inner walls of the promenade foyers. Similar but smaller free-hanging banners define one edge of the main reception foyer. All were designed by Wellington artist Gordon Crook.

This much-loved part of the Wellington skyline sits right at the heart of the capital city’s civic and cultural precinct.

Choose the Michael Fowler Centre auditorium as a venue for your conference, graduation, awards presentation or dinner. Smaller spaces are ideal for presentations, cocktail functions and trade shows. 

A striking three-level glass façade fronts a magnificent interior space, finished with Italian marble and native timbers. The Michael Fowler Centre is within an easy stroll of major hotels, culinary delights, quirky cafes, and boutique shopping.

Michael Fowler Centre fact sheet [PDF, 1.1 MB]

Enquire now

If you’d like to know more about venue options or organise a visit, contact the Venues Wellington sales team

Rooms and spaces

Auditorium

The two-level auditorium offers clear views of the stage from every seat. The adjustable stage size (230m²) makes this a flexible venue, ideal for a range of events including conferences, graduations, seminars and performing arts.

Finished throughout with native timbers, the stunning interior reflects sound evenly throughout the two-level auditorium with magnificent acoustics for concerts and performances.

In addition to being Wellington’s premier concert hall, the auditorium is suitable as a conference plenary space for 2,200 delegates. The space has a warm, intimate feel even with such a large capacity.

Renouf Foyer

This versatile space, located on the first floor, offers plenty of natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Equipped with mobile and catering facilities, it’s an ideal location ideal for dinners, cocktail functions, presentations and as a breakout space for conferences.

The Renouf Foyer can be used as a spacious open area, split into two separate rooms, or closed off from the adjacent foyers using retractable doors. Hardwood parquet flooring adds a sophisticated touch.

Lion Harbourview Lounge

This room is a favourite for breakfast and lunch events, as the floor-to-ceiling windows offer plenty of natural light and breathtaking views of Wellington Harbour. It is also perfect for dinners and cocktail parties.

The Lion Harbourview Lounge can be used as one large space, or split into two smaller rooms — making it an ideal spot for breakout spaces or workshops as part of your conference schedule.

Layout and capacity

Earthquake Prone Building notice

The Michael Fowler Centre is currently rated as an Earthquake Prone Building (EQPB) by Wellington City Council and has been given a ‘yellow notice’. This means that the building is safe to occupy and the owners (Wellington City Council) have a set number of years to strengthen the building. Find more information on the Wellington City Council website:

Earthquake-prone buildings