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The Civic Tour - Auckland Live

4.8
11
Step inside a world of theatrical and architectural wonder and discover the secrets of The Civic! Our guides will uncover the incredible history that brings this amazing venue to life.

Step inside a world of theatrical and architectural wonder and discover the secrets of The Civic! Our guides will uncover the incredible history that brings this amazing venue to life.

Highlights

  • An exciting opportunity to see and experience The Civic like never before
  • Learn the history of the last remaining atmospheric theatre in the Southern Hemisphere
  • Fascinating architectural “Moorish” arches, turrets, minarets and spires
  • Intimate walking tour with passionate and knowledgeable guides

“What an enlightening tour - we would never have believed there was so much to The Civic! - we can't recommend this tour highly enough…” - Tour patron.

Warm with nostalgia, The Civic Tours take visitors on a journey that spans almost one hundred years, from the venue’s inception in the late 1920s and heyday during the war years with its showgirls, cabaret acts, and celebrities, through to the 1990s where the venue’s future lay in the balance before its glorious restoration to the iconic venue that breathes life into the heart of Auckland today.

Per person $49.00

What's included

  • 60-minute walking tour of The Civic with a knowledgeable guide.
  • $5 Food & Beverage voucher redeemable at Terrace Café at Aotea Centre or the Auckland Art Gallery Café.

Duration

  • Allow approximately 1 hour for the whole experience

Location

  • Corner of Queen and Wellesley Street West
  • 269 Queen Street
  • Auckland CBD

Notes

  • A good level of mobility required:

    On The Civic Tour, you will climb around 300 steps as you move through foyers and spaces. While there are railings and a number of rests throughout the tour when the guide shares our stories, you will not have the opportunity to sit for any long period of time during the tour.

    Arrival time:

    Please meet in the front foyer of The Civic 15 minutes prior to the tour.

    Please note:

    We stage lots of live performances throughout the year, so tour routes may vary when a show is in session.

    Bookings essential:

    The Civic is not open to the general public when there are no activities scheduled.

    Children:

    Best suited for ages 14+. Not recommended for children under 3 years of age.

  • Please Note: The Civic Tours will remain open under the Ministry of Health Covid-19 Protection Framework Red.Each tour is delivered in a small group of up to 18 people, who will be able to remain physically distanced throughout the duration of the tour.

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

4.8

11 reviews

Showing all 11 authenticated Bookme reviews

Mafoli from United Kingdom wrote on 25 February 2023

Highly Recommended

Well worth it to see such a fantastically restored historical gem.

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Tricia Court from New Zealand wrote on 10 April 2022

A wonderful Experience

2 friends and I really enjoyed the Civic Tour experience. It is well worth the time to look through the Civic. So much history and facts we would never have known. James was an excellent guide. I would definitely suggest you do this tour

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Daniel Criswell from New Zealand wrote on 04 April 2022

Amazing architecture

Amazing building, fascinating look into what goes on behind the scenes at a theater. Our guide was absolutely wonderful and knowledgeable. Only downside was the ticket was a bit pricey.

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Joel from New Zealand wrote on 03 April 2022

Excellent Tour Guides

loved seeing the inner workings of this gorgeous theatre. love that it has been lovingly restored. wish I had more time to see all the pictures, but I'm planning to do this tour again, to see everything up close.

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Julie Coates from New Zealand wrote on 20 March 2022

A wonderful thing to go see…

Wonderful tour, I can highly recommend. Taken to see not only the areas normally used by the public but also to areas normally off limits. If you love architecture, history or just the theatre then this is the tour for you. Not too long, or arduous. Fantastic guide who was knowledgable, entertaining and welcoming. Go see a prominent piece of Auckland history. Auckland is blessed.

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Qualmark Certification

This award identifies a business with a high level of professionalism, a keen awareness of the impact it has on the environment and a commitment to a customer centric approach.

This award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism business that consistently exceeds visitor expectations. Their proactive leadership and management ensure the business's focus on continuously improving their economic, social and environmental performance to create genuine, constantly evolving and sustainable tourism experiences.

This award recognises the best sustainable tourism businesses in New Zealand. It denotes exceptional customer experiences at the heart of everything the company does. This business is leading the way in making the New Zealand tourism industry a world class sustainable visitor destination.

When you see the Qualmark logo, your activity of choice is endorsed by New Zealand Tourism's official quality assurance organisation and backed by leaders in the industry. It's your trusted guide to iconic activities and experiences that are awarded for their exceptionally high level of quality, safety and sustainability.

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