Beehive

The Beehive: 3/5nnOverall I wouldn’t say it’s the most interesting place to go visit as a 15 year old or even a New Zealand resident who has learnt about the political system during school.nnOn the 30th of December, we went to the beehive without booking, thinking there wouldn’t be many people, however we failed to get a tour. The lady at reception told us she would inform us if there is an available tour later in the day or the next day. We were told to wait for 45 minutes to see if there was any availability for the 1:30 tour which there was none so we had to wait for tomorrow.nnThe exterior of the beehive and the 2 other parliament buildings actually looked decent, selected from 3 different eras, a relatively new beehive for press conferences, then a less recent building filled with discussion chambers, finally a very early constructed antique library holding offices.nnThe next day we contacted the reception from the beehive and were informed that we could attend the 1130 tour of the parliament buildings. We couldn’t bring any bags or hat in even after going through security.nnThe tour consisted of a basic understanding of the governing system of NZ, the press conference room, the discussion room to pass bills, and the library. The hallways were filled with “art” and a very short tour to say the least.nnMy mom called us lucky that we still managed to receive a tour and was fascinated about the publicity and how different it is. But I thought it was very basic and boring, barely showing us anything except the things we see on tv anyway. There was a lack of care within the buildings with leaks being dealt with a bucket and the information that the Christmas decorations wouldn’t be taken down until February. The lack of care showed by the tour guide and the staff members reflect how NZ is being taken care of. How are we suppose to take the government members seriously when they don’t even take themselves seriously. The overall tour is lackluster, just elementary school teacher interactions with very young children.nn1.5 stars for great architecture only from the outside, the inside is lazily donen1.5 stars for giving us a chance to visit the beehive even without booking the tour was at least okay, and the things we saw was alright.nI’m grateful for the tour, especially since it was free, but I don’t recommend the tour for other people since the information doesn’t interest me.

It is a round, interesting building where the Prime Minister and ministers work. You can go on a free tour to see colourful art and learn about New Zealand’s government. If you don’t go inside, you can take photos from outside.

Parliament and other official offices that governs all things Aotearoa New Zealand. Tours available via formal website channels. Park nearby to entertain tamariki while whanau take tour if they so wish. Within walking distance of most places in the CBD. Worth a visit if this is your thing.

An iconic landmark in Wellington! The Beehive’s unique circular architecture is truly spectacular. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to join a guided tour this time, but just admiring the exterior and strolling around the grounds was a great experience.

Our guide was amazing. She explained info in a way that was interesting and enjoyable. Any person, Kiwi or otherwise should put the guided Parliament tour on their radar.

Directions to Beehive with public transportation

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