Attractions and things to do near 97 Motel Moray
Below is just a small offering of what Dunedin has to offer. There are simply too many places of interest and things to do to list them all here. Please feel free to ask us at reception if you need any other information. We also have a good selection of brochures to help make your stay in Dunedin more interesting. It is also worth a visit to the Dunedin i-SITE Visitor Centre for more information about things to do and see.
Otago Museum
Seven free galleries showcase the fascinating and the unique, the biggest and the best. Catch a glimpse of daily life in an early Southern Māori coastal village, see our comprehensive collection of articulated moa skeletons or a suit of armour worn by a Kiribati warrior. Learn about various world currencies from gold, to feathers and coins and step back in time to the Victorian Animal Attic to explore this fascinating cabinet of curiosities.
We also have Tūhura - New Zealand’s biggest science center - a Dunedin must do. With over 45 hands-on interactives, including a giant DNA-inspired helical slide, and a three-tier Tropical Forest full of exotic butterflies, waterfall of over 5-metres, and a sky bridge - this is the hottest place around.
Penguin Place
Penguin Place offers a 90-minute tour with one of our passionate, knowledgeable guides to see the rare Yellow Eyed Penguins and other native species within their natural habitat. Our unique system of trenches and viewing hides allow responsible, disturbance-free viewing, and excellent photographic opportunities of wildlife.
In the winter months (April to September) a single Penguin Tour runs daily at 3.45pm. Open for longer hours over the summer months.
Due to the unpredictability and nature of viewing wildlife, tour times and penguin activity can vary from season to season, therefore please contact them directly for more up to date information on tour times and viewing in the reserve. Bookings are essential.
Royal Albatross Centre
“The Royal Albatross Centre, located at the tip of the Otago Peninsula at Taiaroa Head, is home to the world’s only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross. We are operated by the Otago Peninsula Trust, New Zealand’s oldest non-profit conservation trust, with each ticket funding the protection of local wildlife.
Guided tours at the centre depart daily and include an introduction, 10-minute film, and short walk up to the purpose-built observatory to see nesting Northern Royal Albatross.
Don’t miss the chance to see the world’s largest seabirds soaring, socialising, and raising their chicks here in the wildlife capital of New Zealand.”
Otago Farmers Market
Rain, hail or shine, every Saturday morning of the year you will find the very best of what our remarkable province grows and produces.
With up to 65 vendors at peak season selling the freshest fruit and vegetables, meat products, eggs, baked goods, cheese, nuts, honey and artisan products, you will be in foodie heaven. Freshly roasted coffee and delicious breakfast and brunch items -including some gluten free & vegan options. Along with the welcoming ambience to everyone that this market is famous for, ensures a good time is had by all.
Otago Farmers Market - Open 8am – 12:30pm. Anzac Ave by the Dunedin Railway Station.
https://www.otagofarmersmarket.org.nz/
Dunedin Public Art Gallery
In 1884, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery was New Zealand’s first Art Gallery, and it is renowned today for the richness of its historic collection and its close working relationship with major New Zealand artists.
The gallery is located in the Octagon, right in the heart of Dunedin. It is within easy walking distance from a large number of hotels and on all major public transport routes. There are disabled facilities, the award-winning Nova café, a wonderful shop and free wi-fi in the Gallery foyer.
The Gallery houses a significant collection of New Zealand artworks covering the period from 1860 to the present. The collection also contains major holdings of historical European art, Japanese prints and the decorative arts. Historical works by renowned artists such as Turner, Gainsborough, Claude, and Machiavelli feature alongside the only Monet in a New Zealand collection and master works by Derain, Tissot, Burne-Jones and internationally acclaimed Dunedin artist Frances Hodgkins.
The collection is fundamental to the Gallery’s exhibition programme, but many works of art are also sourced from other public and private collections in New Zealand and internationally.
The Gallery presents a wide-ranging, and mostly free, events programme of interesting lectures, floor talks, film and video screenings, performances and workshops.
Dunedin Chinese Garden
Dunedin's authentic Chinese Garden is located in the heart of the city. The Dunedin Chinese Garden uses authentic Chinese materials crafted by a team of artisans/craftsmen from Dunedin's sister city of Shanghai.
A perfect miniature of a traditional Chinese landscape painting, this Garden encapsulates the essence of nature. It was built to take you on a journey to a greater understanding of history, culture, heritage and tradition.
Its origins come from a desire to celebrate the city's Chinese heritage and its valuable sister city relationship with Shanghai. If you think one visit is enough, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The Garden changes with the seasons and vistas and hidden corners appear unexpectedly so you see something different every time you visit.
Come and relax, drink tea, bring a picnic, try some puzzles and games or simply wander and soak up the tranquility of the authentic Chinese Scholar's Garden.
https://www.dunedinnz.com/visit/see-and-do/tours/other-tours/dunedin-chinese-garden
Olveston Historic Home
Olveston is an authentic historic home in the heart of Dunedin. Built as the family home of collector and philanthropist David Theomin, the house was gifted to the city of Dunedin complete with all the original contents in 1966. This architectural masterpiece is set within a ‘Garden of National Significance’. Visiting Olveston is by guided tour only; tours of the house reveal the extraordinary lives of the Theomin family and allow a glimpse of one of New Zealand’s wealthiest families with strong artistic and community focus. Guided tours commence daily at 9.30am, 10.45am, 12noon, 1.30pm, 2.45pm and 4pm.