Explore the New Zealand Parliament with a Free Guided Tour

Many people don’t realise that New Zealand has a somewhat unusual parliamentary system. 

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy, which means that our head of state is a sovereign (currently Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented in New Zealand by the Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy), but we have a parliamentary system of government.

Our parliamentary system uses an MMP voting system; Mixed Member Proportional. This means that it is unlikely that any one political party will win a majority of the seats in the House, with the party with the most votes usually needing to form a coalition with another party or parties.

Containing a somewhat complex system with its basis in the roots of New Zealand’s history, what better way to learn more about our parliamentary system than by taking a free tour through parliament itself on a trip to Wellington?

With a wide variety of tours to choose from ranging from hourly to weekly, have a browse of what the New Zealand parliament guided tours have to offer and go and soak up the history of our country.

Introducing Parliament Tour

Parliamentary tours run daily on the hour from 10am-4pm. Tour sizes are limited to 18 people at any one time, so in peak periods such as school holidays, it’s best to book ahead.

This 60 minute tour teaches you about New Zealand’s parliamentary processes and history, all  while wandering through our iconic parliament buildings.

Twilight Tour

This tour runs once a week on Thursday evenings from 6-7pm, with the option to eat at the delicious Bellamy’s by Logan Brown restaurant at parliament afterwards.

Highlights of Parliament Tour

This 30 minute tour introduces the ‘highlights of parliament’, taking you through to the debating chamber where the House of Representatives meet (the centre-point of our democracy where laws are passed). It also includes the Banquet Hall and select Committee Rooms.

Kids in the House Tour

This 45 minute fun, interactive tour runs during the school holidays and is specifically for children aged 5-12. 

Designed to engage the young people of our future, those on the tour receive a free ‘Passport to Parliament’ booklet as part of the experience. As they make their way around the Parliament buildings, they can monitor their progress with stickers and get their passports stamped with an official Beehive stamp when they return to the Visitor Centre.

Art Tour

This 90 minute tour focuses on the art and historical items that are showcased around parliament, with the chance to hear from the art curators themselves.

For the art historians out there, this tour is an absolute must.

Private Group Tours & Trade Tours

It is possible to request a private tour, tailored to suit the specific needs and interests of the group (20 people or more, with a maximum of 42).

Charges may apply, and you will need to request this a week in advance.