Auckland Conventions Venues & Events, Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand's Aotea Centre, (Aotea - Te Pokapū), which is located on Mayoral Drive in Auckland, is an absolutely stunning venue to enjoy the arts! :-) Per Auckland Live's website, "The Aotea Centre was designed in 1974 by city architect Ewen Wainscott, but wasn’t built until the late 1980s. It opened in 1990, marking the beginning of the organisation that is now Auckland Live. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was the star of the first concert held there. Today, the Aotea Centre hosts a wide variety of activities including key performances by New Zealand Opera and the Royal New Zealand Ballet, live music, and is a perfect space for large conventions. You will also find the administration offices for Auckland Live, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and Auckland Conventions on Level Four of the building. The Centre was refurbished in 2013 to include two theatres: the 2139-seat Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, and the 186-seat Herald Theatre. The front face of the venue was opened up to include a café, now known as The Terrace Café." My fiancé & I visited the Aotea Centre to see the Auckland Philharmonia perform The Wizard of Oz Live in Concert. Our experience at this venue was incredible!!! The space is so beautifully curated + designed, the concessions offered an array of food & beverage options, and the staff were SO kind! I absolutely would recommend checking-out a show here when you are in Auckland - it's absolutely worth it!

Nice and beautiful theatre. We went to the Tofiga comedy show—it was really funny and entertaining. Drinks were a bit pricey, though. We enjoyed the show overall. The only downside was parking it was really hard to find a spot as everywhere nearby was full.

The Aotea Centre, in the heart of central Auckland, is an impeccable cultural space — bright and full of life. The story of its design and how it has changed over time is very interesting. It has a beautiful and impressive main auditorium with space for more than 2,000 people. The giant screens showing Māori art are amazing, and the building’s art collection is also great — with sculptures, paintings, and a large tapestry. It is inclusive and accessible, with signs in both English and te reo Māori, and also braille. There are many clean bathrooms on all levels. They are always tidy and in perfect condition. The centre hosts many kinds of events — from opera and rock concerts to conferences and comedy shows, and also family or corporate events in its different rooms. It has wide, bright halls and several bars. A special mention for the Terrace Café, a lovely place to enjoy a drink before a show. I believe it should also be open on non-show days, as it's a unique and beautiful spot right in front of the square. There are also smaller and flexible rooms, perfect for meetings or conventions. You can also find special design elements all over the building. The lamps are design pieces, and the lobby carpet is a special creation with references to New Zealand’s nature. And finally, all the staff working in the building are truly excellent people. Friendly, kind, and professional.

Attended for the Financial Advice New Zealand conference and it did exactly what you’d want from a venue like this. Plenty of space, easy to move around, and it never felt crowded even between sessions. The breakout rooms are a real strength, well set up and actually useful rather than an afterthought. Everything felt clean, modern, and well maintained. It’s also a proper theatre and hosts a range of events, which shows in the setup and overall feel. It’s built to handle people well, not just function as a conference space. Nothing flashy, but it doesn’t need to be. For a conference, it’s more than adequate and quietly does a very good job.

Great centre with beautiful theaters & very roomy plus modern with stairs & lifts. Plus bars & snack foods etc & a huge parking building.