As it was my first trip to New Zealand, as well as Auckland, I wanted to immerse myself in the culture and learn about the country. I thought a good place to start would be the Auckland Museum. I was not wrong. In fact it is bursting with information not just about the history of the city but with loads of fascinating material on New Zealand as a whole, particularly the Maoris. Indeed, the museum is host to an impressive collection of Maori treasures and Pacific artefacts some of which are truly stunning. I was also impressed by the galleries devoted to New Zealand’s wartime history, which I found very moving and thoroughly absorbing, even though I am not normally a fan of military history. The museum is situated in a beautiful heritage building near the harbour. There is no charge for admission but a donation of $5 is suggested. While I was there I was lucky enough to witness a spectacular Maori dance! It was a wonderful surprise and really made my afternoon dose of New Zealand culture that bit more authentic and special. I later discovered these cultural performances take place three times daily at 11am, 12am and 1.30pm - I wholly recommend you make it a priority for your visit!