Carter Observatory
At the top of Wellington’s Cable Car, Carter Observatory is a world-class attraction where visitors can discover our southern skies through our planetarium, observatories and heritage exhibits and multi-media galleries.
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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.
Physical address
Carter Observatory, 40 Salamanca Road (top of the Cable Car), Kelburn, Wellington Central, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
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
Pricing and Conditions
| Adult | $18.50 |
- Other charges:
- under 4 yrs free entry, concessions $13.50 entry
Language support
| Written | Spoken | |
| German | No | Yes |