What to do on a rainy day in Wellington

The national museum is home to six floors filled with more than 800,000 cultural treasures, artefacts, specimens, and artworks. There is undoubtedly enough at Te Papa to keep you happy on a rainy day. It is open 365 days a year and apart from the occasional short-term exhibition, entry is free. 

Explore Aotearoa’s weird and wonderful wildlife in Te Taiao Nature. Come face to face with the realities of war in ‘Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War’, featuring models made by Wētā Workshop. Or spy the biggest colossal squid ever caught. The interactive exhibitions will keep you entertained for hours, no matter the weather.

Chocolate can be enjoyed anywhere and anytime, but on a rainy day, it is best consumed inside. Wellington has its own Willy Wonka experience tucked down an inner-city laneway. Wellington Chocolate Factory makes its own sweet treats. Visitors can have a peek at the process through the windows in the store. Or, enjoy an indulgent hot chocolate in the café.

If you’re looking for something more hands-on, take a tour. See the process from bean to beautifully wrapped bar. You can also book a chocolatier experience. Make your own delicious creations, the only limit is your imagination.

The capital is a film lover’s dream destination. With multiple boutique cinemas around the city, you’re spoilt for choice. 

For a grand old picture palace, head to the 800-seat Embassy Theatre. Light House offers a cosy, intimate experience. Miramar’s Roxy Cinema comes decorated with an Oscar statuette and Wētā Workshop art. 

As a UNESCO City of Film, Wellington often hosts international film festivals. From architecture and design to the spookiest horror films, you’ll find a genre to suit your tastes. August brings the annual New Zealand International Film Festival to the city. Its selection of award-winning films and documentaries makes for a great rainy-day activity.

Set in the historic Bank of New Zealand building, the Old Bank Arcade brings together the latest in fashion in a unique shopping experience. Housed inside one of Wellington’s most distinguished heritage buildings, the arcade is in a premiere position. Find it where Lambton Quay, Willis Street, and Customhouse Quay meet. 

The 1901 building is considered an excellent example of neoclassical architecture. Its Edwardian baroque splendour enhances the premium fashion shops and cafés within. Best of all, its underground level connects beneath the road to the Willis Lane food and entertainment precinct.

Beneath the road on Willis Street lies a subterranean wonderland. Head below ground to discover a fantastic selection of bars and eateries, alongside interactive entertainment. 

With a sleek, sophisticated interior filled with tunnels and vaulted brick archways, Willis Lane has a touch of New York subway chic. It’s designed to be both convenient and a destination in its own right. Mini golf, 10-pin bowling, arcade games, and karaoke lounges make the place hum with life both day and night. Licensed bars, restaurants, and quality fast food options complement the entertainment. Visit for coffee, lunch with workmates, an evening drink, or games night.

Fear Factory is Wellington’s own mysterious and spooky entertainment spot. Only the bravest and most adventurous will venture below the deck of the fictional lost ship the HMS Wayfarer. There, if you dare, you’ll encounter a nautical-themed nightmare. Prepare yourself for some laughs, some screams, and some sweaty palms — maybe all three at once. Fear Factory also has virtual reality experiences, themed events for school holidays, and an Escape Maze Adventure. The maze has live show performances across the weekend. Actors in fantastic costumes and makeup will roam around trying to scare you. Feel a mix of pride and excitement and pride that you took on a haunted ship and maze — and lived to tell the tale.

Wellington Museum tells the stories of the city and its people. Discover stories about maritime history, Māori and European settlement, growth as a region, and its evolution since becoming the capital in 1865. Located on the waterfront in a beautifully restored 19th-century wharf building, the museum’s free exhibitions are spread across four floors. 

Wellington Museum has plenty of stories to keep you amused on a rainy afternoon. There’s a room that tells 100 local tales, starting from 1900. There’s also an exhibition where Māori legends come to life through holographs. A room up in the attic holds a time capsule that takes you on a 14-minute journey through local history. And there’s a moving tribute to New Zealand’s most significant shipping tragedy — the Wahine disaster.