Things to See in Wellington

The innovative Mediaplex combines a film archive, library, cinema and research centre under one roof and has an extensive collection with over 90,000 titles of NZ film, TV and video dating from 1895 to this year's sitcom. From Wednesday to Saturday, the cinema shows treasures from the vault.

Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand, is an inspiring interactive look at NZ's history and culture. Dominating the waterfront, the striking construction took five years to build (costing around 320 million). Since opening in 1998 there have been over nine million visitors. The museum quickly gained praise for its innovation and is now a national symbol, celebrating the essence of NZ and its people.

The tranquil, 25-hectare Botanic Gardens are easily visited in conjunction with a cable-car ride. The large gardens contain native bush and other gardens, including the Lady Norwood Rose Garden with over 100 rose species. There's also a teahouse, visitors centre and the NZ headquarters of World Wide Fund for Nature, with information and displays. The gardens are also accessible from the Glenmore St entrance.