We recently took the kids to Auckland for a few days and as an extra-special treat, had an outing to MOTAT – The Museum of Technology and Transport. I’d never been before so it was a whole new experience for me. MOTAT is New Zealand’s largest transport, technology and social history museum with objects telling stories about New Zealand aviation, printing, rail, road transport, steam, military, telecommunications and trams.
I’m liking…
MOTAT is spread over 40 acres and you could easily spend the whole day there; there’s loads to see- ranging from tractors and airplanes to a mirror maze and an old cinema. We just had an afternoon and didn’t even get close to seeing everything.
My girls loved riding on the tram and this was a real highlight for my three year old – she would have stayed on all afternoon if we’d let her. It’s worth getting off at the other end, though, as the aviation area is very cool. Seeing the planes up-close is an astonishing experience and I can imagine that little boys would love this 🙂
We also found the staff incredibly friendly and someone even stopped to give us directions when I obviously looked lost.
MOTAT is remarkably reasonably priced- at $35 for a family pass (2 adults and up to 4 children) or $65 for a family year pass, it’s great value for money- cheaper than going to the movies! I could definitely imagine being a regular if I lived in Auckland.
Things that made me go hmmm…
Probably, my kids at 3 and 10 months were a little young for the real MOTAT experience. My three year old was desperate to ride on or touch the exhibits and we had to keep distracting her to keep her from leaping on everything in site. Having said that, she loved riding on the tram and she found the Playing with Light exhibition brilliant fun as there was lots to touch and do.
I’d suggest that MOTAT is probably best for the 6+ age group- perhaps when they’re old enough to read some of the information themselves and understand a bit more about the exhibits. Still, there was plenty to keep the little people entertained as well and there’s definitely something for the whole family at MOTAT.
Conclusion
A visit to MOTAT is a total must, in my books. You don’t have to be a history buff- there’s plenty to keep everyone interested- but you will learn lots about New Zealand’s transport, technology and social history.
