WellingtonSee & Do
Young children pointing up at the Earth projected onto the digital planetarium and Space Place.

Te Ara Whānui ki te Rangi Space Place

  • Location

    40 Salamanca Road, Kelburn, Wellington

  • Website

    Space Place

Space Place is home to a digital full-dome planetarium, the historic Thomas Cooke telescope, and interactive galleries and exhibitions.

A parent holding up a child to look into the giant telescope at Space Place, Carter Observatory in Wellington.
Three people stand at the front entrance of Space Place at Carter Observatory, located in Wellington Botanic Gardens on a starry clear night.
An interactive exhibition for kids modelled after the interior of a spaceship at Wellington's Space Place.
2 children walking through a tunnel at Space place lit up by green LED lights.

Sitting on one of the high ridges in Wellington’s Botanic Gardens, Te Ara Whānui ki te Rangi Space Place at Carter Observatory is a quick cable car ride from Lambton Quay. Step inside and you’ll learn about planets, galaxies, constellations and the Southern Hemisphere’s star groups through interactive galleries and exhibits.

A state-of-the-art digital experience in the full-dome planetarium is part of the ticket entry price. Held throughout the day, shows are both entertaining and educational. Sit back and recline in comfort while you’re taken on a virtual space journey through the solar system and beyond.

Most screenings have a storytelling element and interactive star show. Watch out for the classic Greek constellations like Capricornus and Scorpius. Find out how to spot New Zealand’s own groups of stars, like the “Pot” and Maui’s Fish Hook, which can be seen towards the end of the year. If you’re from the Northern Hemisphere look out for the Southern Cross. Because of its position in the Milky Way, you can only see it in this part of the world.

Try to time your visit to Space Place later in the evening. It’s open until 11pm on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. This gives visitors the chance to view the southern skies through the 150-year-old Thomas Cooke telescope. On a clear night, you might experience the thrill of seeing the moons around Jupiter or rings around Saturn through this telescope. Though they don’t appear year-round there’s always something fascinating to discover.

In the adjacent galleries, you can take in the sheer scale of the universe and its origins in the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. Feel the rumble of a rocket launch, find out about when humans landed on the moon, and even touch a moon rock.

You can also discover the Māori story of creation, the significance of Matariki, and the role of the star cluster for the Māori New Year. For children, there’s a junior astronaut zone with an interactive space station exhibition.

Looking for more?

At start of items
Looking up into the trees at Adrenalin Forest as a child balances across a wire between two tress.

Adrenalin Forest

Get among the treetops at Adrenalin Forest — an epic aerial obstacle course designed to challenge you physically and mentally.

Exterior of the Wellington Museum, a blue building with a red door.

Wellington Museum

Experience the stories of Wellington and its people. From maritime history, early Māori settlement, and the city’s evolution since becoming the capital in 1865.

A group of young children with teachers standing around a green table at Capital E, holding hands.

Capital E

Ignite your children’s creative spark at Capital E — a space to inspire, educate, and entertain.

On a hill the sign for Carlucci Land sits among large rocks. It is made of corrugated iron and painted in different colours.

Carlucci Land Mini Golf

Pay a visit to Carlucci Land just 10 minutes from the central city to discover why this 18-hole mini golf course has become a Wellington landmark.

Inside the dining room of the Katherine Mansfield House on Tinakori Road. Blue walls are covered in decor from the 19th century, including a wall of china plates. The table is set with candleabra and pink china.

Katherine Mansfield House & Garden

Take a step into 19th-century colonial Wellington and the life of Katherine Mansfield. One of the world’s most acclaimed writers and proud Wellingtonian.

The monument at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park is located in, Te Aro, Wellington.

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park

A short walk from the centre of the city lies Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. It is a place to reflect on New Zealand’s experience of war, military conflict, and peacekeeping, and how it shapes the national identity.

The exterior of the New Zealand Parliament building at 1 Museum Street, Pipitea in Wellington at sunset with pink-coloured clouds in the sky above.

New Zealand Parliament Tours

Walk the corridors of power and see where New Zealand laws and policies are made.

Three people drinking beer in front of Brewtown sign in Upper Hutt.

Brewtown Upper Hutt

The ultimate destination for craft beer, and food, plus 4,500 square metres devoted to entertainment.

Entrance to He Tohu at The National Library of New Zealand.

He Tohu at National Library of New Zealand

Home to a declaration, a treaty, and a petition — New Zealand’s founding documents are at the National Library of New Zealand.

The exterior of Nairn Street cottage, Wellingtons oldest original cottage and heritage garden.

Nairn Street Cottage

Step back in time and visit Wellington’s oldest original cottage and heritage garden.