Carter Observatory

At the top of Wellington’s Cable Car, Carter Observatory is a world-class attraction bringing the view of The Milky Way closer to Earth in a unique interactive experience. Discover our southern skies.

Qualmark - 100% Pure Assurance

Whether you're looking for places to stay, things to do or ways to getting around, the Qualmark provides the quality assurance you need. Qualmark assured businesses can be found across New Zealand.

When you see the Qualmark it means that those businesses have been independently assessed against a set of national quality standards. It identifies professional and trustworthy businesses so you can book and buy with confidence.

Great Places to Stay

Whether you're looking for a luxury hotel, a family motel, a budget backpacker, a homely bed & breakfast, a holiday home or a spacious holiday park, the Qualmark identifies quality assured accommodation suitable for any type of traveller.

Accommodation providers have undergone a rigorous assessment and licensing process to become part of the Qualmark licensing system. They will meet your essential requirements of cleanliness, safety, security and comfort; and offer a range and quality of services appropriate to their star grade.

Accommodation providers are also assessed on environment performance.

The star grading and classification system applies to accommodation. The Qualmark gives you details on both the accommodation category and their star grading. When you see a Qualmark Enviro Award logo it identifies their level of environmental performance.

Things to Do & Ways to Get Around

If you're looking for things to do and ways to get around, Qualmark endorsed visitor services, transport and visitor activities are the smartest choice, from abseiling to yachting, art galleries to wilderness walks, to tour buses.

Businesses that carry the Qualmark have met quality standards in safety, facilities, equipment, customer service and more. You can count on them to deliver a quality experience. Qualmarked businesses are also assessed on environmental performance. Look for the Qualmark Enviro Award logo for top performers in this area.

Qualmark Enviro Awards

All tourism businesses with a Qualmark logo have been assessed on their environmental performance; meaning that they have met a set of benchmark criteria and actions. These include the completion of environmental review and action plans, recycling options, and other initiatives.

The Qualmark Enviro Awards recognise those businesses that go beyond the benchmark. By demonstrating a commitment to being the best possible advocate within the community and continuing to minimise their environmental impact and resource usage; they earn the right to display and use an Enviro Gold, Silver or Bronze logo.

For you, recognising top performing Qualmark Enviro businesses is easy. Look for the Enviro Award logos on online listings and in other promotional material such as guide books and brochures. This is part of New Zealand tourism's commitment to looking after New Zealand for future generations to continue to enjoy.

Find out more about Qualmark on www.qualmark.co.nz

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Contact us by

  • Phone +64 4 910 3140
The Pelorus Trust Planetarium
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Carter Observatory - Tuhura Module
Carter Observatory - Pickering Gallery where you can launch a rocket or touch the Moon!

About

Carter Observatory is New Zealand’s longest serving national observatory. It contains a state of the art, digital planetarium offering a limitless range of virtual space journeys.

Multi-media exhibits tell the story of New Zealand’s Southern Skies and Māori cosmology alongside the mainstream scientific interpretation. Learn about Matariki, the Maori New Year, along with early European and Maori navigation techniques.

Take a closer look at spaceflight in two new gallery spaces: the Pickering Gallery where you can launch a rocket and touch the Moon; and the Tuhura Module, a fun interactive space where kids gain insights into living and working in space.
Be inspired by the skies above us.

Opening times

  • Business hours: Open from 10am daily, close at 5pm Monday to Sunday, late nights until 9.30pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays
  • Months of operation: All months of the year

Facilities and Features

  • Proximity to airport: Approximately 20 minutes drive, 9.2km
  • Proximity to coach terminal: A short 10 minute cable car ride from Lambton Quay to the top of the Cable Car
  • Proximity to town: A short 10 minute cable car ride from Lambton Quay to the top of the Cable Car

Physical address

Carter Observatory, 40 Salamanca Road, Kelburn, Wellington Central, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.

Pricing and Conditions

Adult $18.00 - $18.00
  • Other charges: under 4 yrs free entry, concessions $13 entry

Language support

  Written Spoken
German No Yes
Spanish No Yes

Contact us by

  • Phone +64 4 910 3140

Our authors

  • Dawn Muir

    Dawn Muir

    I am the Marketing & Communications Manager at Carter Observatory in Wellington.

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