Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in Downtown Auckland is Auckland City’s leading public art gallery. It has a diverse national and international art collection and regularly holds travelling exhibitions.
The original building, built in 1888 below Albert Park on the corner of Wellesley Street and Kitchener Street, was the first permanent art gallery in New Zealand. Initially, it housed the Art Gallery and Public Library. The building was extended in the 2000s and included a stunning modern facade.
The gallery opened with collections donated by Governor Sir George Grey and James Tannock Mackelvie. Today, the gallery has over 18,000 works, including European and British art and NZ historical and contemporary works. It is particularly strong in its collection of Māori and Pacific Island artists.
Exploring the entrance is worth the visit by itself. From there, you can visit the free public galleries and get a sense of the development of NZ art and how it has evolved from a mainly Eurocentric sensibility to one representative of multi-cultural modern Auckland, including the role of Māori and Pacific Island artists. You can also access a travelling exhibition for a modest fee.
