Since 1912, Wellington's historic cable car has been climbing the hill to the Kelburn Lookout, next to the Botanic Gardens.
The National Museum of New Zealand is an immersive journey through the natural forces that formed the country, the culture of the Maori people who first settled here, and the social history of both Maori and Europeans who have shaped the country since then.
The Wellington Museum, one of the best free things to do in Wellington, features cutting-edge multimedia displays that help bring the city's history to life.
The Beehive, which houses New Zealand's parliament, is Wellington's most recognisable structure. The building, designed by British architect Sir Basil Spence and constructed between 1964 and 1979, is the city's most divisive piece of architecture.
Wellington Botanic Garden, founded in 1868, is a lush 25-hectare oasis on the city's hillside, full of blooming flower displays and native fauna.
ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary, a 225-hectare urban eco-sanctuary only two kilometres from the city centre, is dedicated to displaying New Zealand's conservation efforts as well as its unique nature and wildlife.
Fans of Peter Jackson's successful Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies will not want to miss Wellington's connection to the films.
This small wooden house in the Wellington suburb of Thorndon was New Zealand's most famous author's childhood home.
City Gallery Wellington, housed in the historic building of the old city library, opened in 1980 and is one of New Zealand's leading contemporary art spaces.
The Nairn Street Cottage, Wellington's oldest surviving original residence, was built by William Wallis in the 1850s as a home for his family.