Here's what you need to know before you arrive at Wharenui Harikoa:
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Walk-ups are welcome throughout the season.
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When you arrive at The Civic our ushers will guide you to sit in the auditorium under the stars while you wait to get up on stage for the next soundscape sequence. If wait times exceed 20 minutes we will update the notification on our website so you can plan your visit.
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You can book your FREE ticket in advance here to reserve priority entry on your chosen day. Please note: priority entry tickets close at midnight for the following day’s session.
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Step into a world where colour, light, and story converge.
Wharenui Harikoa, the stunning large-scale crocheted wharenui (Māori meeting house) inspired by the joy, connection, and healing found in te ao Māori will grace Tāmaki Makaurau’s treasured theatre stage The Civic.
This immersive experience weaves together tukutuku panels, handcrafted pou, a sensory touch wall, and a mesmerising light and soundscape. Drawn from taonga tuku iho (ancestral treasures passed down), it invites you to take off your shoes, slow down, and enter a space for dreaming.
At its heart, Wharenui Harikoa is a refracting prism of tūpuna-inspired light — a vessel of aroha travelling across the world to ignite joy, one loop at a time.
Inspired by the stories of Matariki and Te Whānau Mārama (the celestial family), this is the first time the Wharenui will stand while Matariki is visible in the night sky — a powerful moment to honour the past, celebrate the present, and dream boldly for the future.
Donate to Auckland Live. Share the joy of the performing arts!
Everyone deserves to be inspired by live performance, art, and music. Auckland Live is dedicated to offering incredible free and low-cost events to the people of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, and visitors to our city. With your help, we can do even more.
Even $1 will help us continue to bring more low-cost and free awe-inspiring experiences to our tamariki | children, whānau | families, and communities.
Donate at The Civic during Wharenui Harikoa and help us to make more arts and entertainment events accessible to all.
Auckland Live is a business unit of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited. It is a charitable trust and donee organisation approved by Inland Revenue. A tax receipt can be claimed for donations of $5 and over. To receive a receipt, please email arqueries@aucklandunlimited.com. It will be sent to you within seven working days. Donations are non-refundable. Credit card charges apply.
