Depending on your child(ren)’s interests, this gallery will either captivate them for hours or just be somewhere that you hang out for a short time, perhaps to escape a rain shower or the heat of the sun. There are permanent displays of artwork and changing exhibitions some better suited to kids than others. But kids from about the age of 4 years might like one of the games that you can download here or ask reception staff for a paper copy. These include a few different versions of art bingo which give everyone a focus for going round the different galleries and really looking at the paintings, as the images on the bingo are only parts of pictures! Depending on the age and ability of your children, they may need a lot or a little help doing this.

There’s also the Creative Learning Centre that has changing interactive exhibitions specifically for kids, best suited to those aged up to around 5 or 6 (although often older kids just approach the exhibitions in a different way to younger children).

On Saturday afternoons, there are free sessions called ‘Family Drop-ins’ for the whole family to get creative (1-3pm).

There’s a ‘chill out’ story area with lots of art related books to look at in the Atrium on the ground floor, if you all need a rest. There’s also a cafe and multiple baby changing facilities. The gallery is fully accessible for buggies – they just ask that parents rather than children are in control of the buggies at all times. Albert Park is just behind the gallery and provides an area for kids to run around and get some fresh air if needed. The closest playground is the one in Myers Park, less than a kilometre away.

Main Photo of Judy Darragh’s Limbo credited to ‘David St George Photography’. Courtesy of Auckland Art Gallery