By the Explore Wellington news desk · Published Thursday 12 November 2026
Construction on Te Whare Whakarauika Wellington Town Hall and its new Annex is finished, and the building has been blessed in a dawn ceremony ahead of its reopening in February.
- First shows
- From Saturday 20 February, starting with Drax Project & Friends
- Free open day
- Sunday 28 February: guided tours and performances through the day
- Where
- Wakefield Street, Te Ngākau Civic Square; the new Annex is the entrance
The first show in the restored hall is on Saturday 20 February, and everyone can look around for free at an open day on Sunday 28 February.
The dawn ceremony, a tohi tāngaengae, was led by the council’s Tākai Here partners and attended by Mayor Andrew Little, elected members, stakeholders and partners. It rededicated the strengthened building. The council calls the job one of the most complex building projects New Zealand has seen.
The opening month and the free open day
Drax Project & Friends start the programme on 20 February. Bryan Adams, ENZSO Celebrates, the Wellington Ukulele Orchestra and the NZSO’s Resurrection follow, with more shows still to be announced.
Council chief operating officer James Roberts said, “The programme is already proving popular with sold out shows, and additional performances added to cater for the huge demand we’re already experiencing.”
The Te Whare Whakarauika Town Hall Open Day and Civic Ceremony on 28 February will have free guided tours and performances across the day. It is also the first chance for the public to see the new National Music Centre, a joint project between the council, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
What has been done to the building
The heritage hall has been earthquake-strengthened and brought back to how it looked in the early 1900s, with many features repaired using the original methods and materials. The Adam Auditorium is still the centrepiece, and its 1906 concert organ has been restored by the South Island Organ Company. Athfield Architects and Archifact designed the strengthening and restoration.
The new Annex is now the way in. It holds the foyer facilities, two bars and a café, and was designed by Tihei with Warren & Mahoney around mana whenua stories and the importance of the sea.
Look for the lighting modelled on pōhā, the bull kelp bags Māori used to store food such as tītī, and the large fish-scale shapes on the Wakefield Street side.
Part of a bigger return
The hall is the latest piece of the Te Ngākau Civic Square area to come back, after Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Central Library, the square itself and City Gallery Te Whare Toi reopened.
Mayor Andrew Little said in the council’s release, “When the doors open in February, Wellington will once again have one of its great gathering places back, ready for the next generation of audiences and performers.”
Staff are now getting the building ready for the opening month. The full list of features and photos of the finished interior are in the council’s Town Hall announcement. If you want to see inside without buying a ticket, the open day on 28 February is the chance.
Explore Wellington news desk: news@explorewellington.nz. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we’ll correct it.
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