Queenstown Culture

Queenstown isn’t just about skiing and mountain-climbing: the city centre offers as many gems as its mountains. Long acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s cultural capitals, Queenstown’s art galleries and cultural institutions are fit to compete with the world’s best. Check out some of New Zealand’s best visual art, film, and performance for yourself today – and start with the checkpoints listed below.

For the museum enthusiasts out there, Queenstown is a veritable goldmine. Thanks to the town’s long settler heritage, there are a handful of museums which showcase the fascinating artefacts that make up New Zealand’s cultural history. Learn about the country’s pioneering background – much of which was centred in the Otago region - at the Lakes District Museum, which records Queenstown’s history since its settlement back in the nineteenth century. The Central Stories Museum in Alexandra continues this project of tracing the region’s past, with a special focus on the gold-mining activities of yesteryear. Finally, the National Transport and Toy Museum is a wonderful stop for the entire family, the Museum’s vast collection of vehicles and toys tantamount to 10,000 square feet of pure play.

 

Photo by: Oren Rozen by Wikimedia Commons

Art aficionados will also hit upon a treasure trove in Queenstown, with Queenstown Central full of fine and contemporary art galleries that will cater to all of your souvenir desires. The Central Art Gallery is a great place to start, and from there, perhaps move on to the Ivan Clarke Gallery or the Alan Waters Art Gallery to check out the exhibitions of Queenstown’s leading solo artists. Finally, the Queenstown Arts Centre is a welcoming place full of artworks of all media, and with its regular calendar of events for locals and tourists alike, there’s never a dull moment.

 

Photo by: Krzysztof Golik on Wikimedia Commons

For some rainy-day entertainment, Queenstown’s movie theatres are always open for business. Make a beeline to Reading Cinemas Queenstown for the latest movies on the international circuit, or put the Dark Ride Cinema on your Queenstown bucket-list for a dynamic motion experience that brings new resonance to the term “virtual reality”. One-off and regular events are always going on at the Queenstown Memorial Theatre, too, so whether it’s comedy you like, educational speaking, or perhaps dance, there’s guaranteed to be an event of interest scheduled for when you’re in town.

Pick up a rental car from Omega’s Queenstown Airport or Central Town Depot to ensure you don’t miss out on any of Queenstown’s top cultural attractions.