Some really excellent displays in this museum. I also really like the communal spaces and the building's design. I enjoyed it here more than some of the bigger museums I have visited. I would be really happy if this were my local.

top floor is geology and biology my favs.. first floor is butterfly house where you can enjoy an exotic animal briefly landing on your collar, or scream and run, or try to kill.. both of the latter I saw from a crowd of schoolkids.. needless to say a girl and a boy in that order! It's three storeys high, warm, humid, pretty magical. THEN there is the Planetarium.. four different shows, you lie back in great comfort.. my show was in 3D ..aimed at early teens.. but good info for all.

I spent a rainy afternoon in Dunedin in the Butterfly room in the Museum. Cold outside very warm in their home. These beautiful insects just fluttering past you in their domain. The lovely orchids in the room were worth seeing and the lovely little birds scurrying about. A must if you have children

Have returned several times during our vacation in Otago. Such an interesting place and so much to see. Great gift shop and restaurant etc etc.
Definitely recommend this visit for all age groups.

We visited only the free rooms. And it is very informative, very interesting. We visited many museums in NZ, both North and South Island, and we can see in Otago Museum new things, other explications about Maori. Also the rooms about the Polyneiean, Melanesian and Micronesian peoples are very good. The 2nd and 3th floor with information about geology, wildlife, and other, are well worth a visit.
Only 10 minutes walking, or 15' slentering from the octogon