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What does Te Whare Whakarauika Wellington Town Hall mean to you? As we move towards the opening of the National Music Centre in February 2027, let’s remember the historic moments and remarkable occasions that this iconic building has seen.

We invite you to share your memories. All are welcome – the funny, the sublime, the sad and the strange! Email us at development-office@vuw.ac.nz or use the form.
Music

A visit from Tom Lehrer

In April 1960 American singer-songwriter and satirist Tom Lehrer toured Australia and New Zealand and performed at the Wellington Town...
Competitions

A veteran of dance

A veteran dancer at six and a half is Anita Young of Miramar who is the proud holder of four...
Ceremonies, Civic administration

A centennial celebration remembers the Town Hall’s early years

The following story is an excerpt from a script provided by Grant Stevenson. Mr Stevenson was the event organiser of...
Ceremonies, Civic administration, Fundraising

Community hub during times of war

In 1914, the First World War broke out. As troops from around the country came to Wellington to depart for...
Music

Music for everyone

Now that Wellington had a large venue with world-class acoustics, stars from around New Zealand and the world could perform...
Political activities

A place for politics and royalty

In the 1950s, a Royal Tour was not to be taken lightly. Especially when the Queen was young, beautiful and...
Sport

A fighting history

Boxing’s Town Hall heyday was between 1940 to 1970. Just pay your five shillings and enjoy “twelve three-minute rounds of...
Architecture and structure

Refurbishments and new additions

And while Wellington had been able to afford to build a clock tower 150 feet high, we couldn’t afford a...
The Beatles smile at the camera on the Town Hall balcony, while a crowd watches on from the street.
Music

Rock and roll at the Hall

Even though George Harrison later said New Zealand reminded him of 18th century England, the fab four received a hero’s...
Elections, Music

The grand old dame

My very fond memories of the gracious, grand old dame aka the Wellington Town Hall are all associated with music...
Music

Gareth Farr drags up his memories

In 1996 my commissioned piece to celebrate the NZSO’s 50th birthday was performed in the Wellington Town Hall. I was...
The NZSO's inaugural concert in the Wellington Town Hall, 1946
Music

Hearing it live

The NZSO’s inaugural concert in the Wellington Town Hall, 1946 It was 1946 and the film Song to Remember ignited...
Music

The top brass from Hawera

My GREAT memory of the Town Hall and its wonderful main auditorium dates back to 1951. In that year the...
Music

The Beatles raise the roof

In 1964 The Beatles came to New Zealand and played at the Wellington Town Hall. As a psychology lecturer, the...
Music, Religious activities

Teen spirit

When I was a teenager in the mid-1970s, we used to attend ‘Youth for Christ’ rallies in the Town Hall....
Music

Master of ceremonies

I went to most of the National Orchestra (as the NZSO was called then) concerts in the period 1954–1960. I...
Music

Memories from Dame Malvina Major

I performed many concerts in the Wellington Town Hall. Not the operas, they were always at the Opera House, but...
Music

Sound of the pipes

As a child, my family lived in Little Pipitea Street, not to be confused with ‘big’ Pipitea Street; there was...
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