The story of Tākina
Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre was built to enable Wellington to attract international and domestic conferences for the benefit of the city, region and country and to provide a place from which to share the stories of the nation.
This striking new building is the Capital’s largest built infrastructure investment since the Wellington Regional Stadium two decades ago. Tākina will offer event facilities across three floors and 18,000 sqm, drawing visitors to Wellington to learn, meet and be inspired.
Construction started in December 2019 and Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre opened in June 2023.
A place to share
Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre’s top two floors will deliver Wellington's first premium venue to host international conferences, with more than 10,000sqm of flexible meeting space. Tākina will showcase the Capital’s expertise and thought leadership as it hosts established conferences and creates new ones to support Wellington’s key sectors.
A place to inspire
Tākina’s ground floor incorporates a 1,280sqm Exhibition Gallery, the largest in New Zealand. It will host international touring exhibitions which will attract both locals and visitors to the city. Locally developed and curated exhibitions will also be premiered here before touring offshore, showcasing the creative talents of Wellington and New Zealand.
Benefit to the area
Built on a Council-owned site on Cable Street, opposite Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and near the waterfront, Tākina will be a transformative addition to Wellington’s cultural and entertainment precinct. Increased numbers of visitors are expected to encourage private development and positive enhancement of the surrounding area.
Benefit to the economy
Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre is expected to have huge positive flow-on effects for the city’s hospitality, accommodation, and retail businesses. It is expected to supply 372 direct jobs and bring in and protect business worth around $45 million a year in GDP to Wellington's economy, including money spent in hotels, restaurants, bars and shops.
The building
Tākina has been designed and built in a way that reduces negative impacts on the environment. It has been awarded Five Green Star Design certification – the first convention centre in the country to achieve this standard. The rating represents New Zealand excellence for environmental sustainability, energy efficiency and green building.
The design
Designed by Studio Pacific Architecture, Tākina’s iconic design draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including its maritime location and Wellington’s dramatic and sometimes wild weather patterns and landforms. The Māori mythology of Te Upoko o Te Ika - the head of the great fish of Maui - is also represented within the architecture.
Tākina Events
Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre is owned by the Wellington City Council and managed through Tākina Events, a partnership combining the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa event spaces and Tākina venue under a common brand and managed by Te Papa.
Since it opened in 1998, New Zealand’s national museum Te Papa has attracted millions of visitors from around the world. It has also served as a leading events venue, with dedicated spaces hosting more than 900 events per year. Located directly across the road from Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, Te Papa offers Tākina Events a further portfolio of spaces for events, with the additional benefit of years of exhibitions and events experience.
Tākina Events operates events within both iconic venues.