---
title: "Museums in New Zealand: Which brands are most popular in search?"
description: "Compare the museums New Zealanders and visitors visit. Share of Search among Auckland Museum, Te Papa, MOTAT, Canterbury Museum, Otago Museum and Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, the museums Brandwave compares in New Zealand, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-museums"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Museums in New Zealand: Which brands are most popular in search?

Compare the museums New Zealanders and visitors visit. Share of Search among Auckland Museum, Te Papa, MOTAT, Canterbury Museum, Otago Museum and Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, the museums Brandwave compares in New Zealand, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Museums
- **Market**: New Zealand
- **Brands compared**: 6
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Auckland Museum, 45.4%

## Which brand is most popular in search among museums in New Zealand?

- In August 2026, Auckland Museum was the most searched among museums in New Zealand, with an estimated 85K branded searches and 45.4% estimated Share of Search within this set.
- Te Papa is in 2nd place, 18.1 percentage points behind at 27.3% Share of Search.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Auckland Museum’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand increased from 40.3% to 45.4%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Te Papa’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand decreased from 28.9% to 27.3%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, MOTAT’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand decreased from 15.4% to 14.2%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Canterbury Museum’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand decreased from 7.1% to 5.5%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand decreased from 3.7% to 3.1%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Auckland Museum’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand peaked at 45.4% in August 2026 and was lowest at 38% in November 2025.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Te Papa’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand peaked at 33.3% in March 2026 and was lowest at 27.3% in August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, MOTAT’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand peaked at 19% in December 2025 and was lowest at 10.7% in February 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Canterbury Museum’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand peaked at 8.9% in February 2026 and was lowest at 5% in July 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Otago Museum’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand peaked at 5.5% in February 2026 and was lowest at 3.9% in December 2025.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum’s estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand peaked at 4.4% in November 2025 and was lowest at 2.6% in July 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Otago Museum held steady: its estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Auckland Museum vs Te Papa: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/auckland-museum-vs-te-papa): 45.4% against 27.3% Share of Search.
- [Auckland Museum vs MOTAT: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/auckland-museum-vs-motat): 45.4% against 14.2% Share of Search.
- [Auckland Museum vs Canterbury Museum: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/auckland-museum-vs-canterbury-museum): 45.4% against 5.5% Share of Search.
- [Auckland Museum vs Otago Museum: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/auckland-museum-vs-otago-museum): 45.4% against 4.5% Share of Search.
- [Te Papa vs MOTAT: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/motat-vs-te-papa): 27.3% against 14.2% Share of Search.
- [Te Papa vs Canterbury Museum: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/canterbury-museum-vs-te-papa): 27.3% against 5.5% Share of Search.
- [Te Papa vs Otago Museum: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/otago-museum-vs-te-papa): 27.3% against 4.5% Share of Search.
- [MOTAT vs Canterbury Museum: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/canterbury-museum-vs-motat): 14.2% against 5.5% Share of Search.
- [MOTAT vs Otago Museum: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/motat-vs-otago-museum): 14.2% against 4.5% Share of Search.
- [Canterbury Museum vs Otago Museum: compare search popularity](/demand/nz/compare/canterbury-museum-vs-otago-museum): 5.5% against 4.5% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for New Zealand museums in August 2026?

- In August 2026, Auckland Museum gained estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand, from 43.1% to 45.4%.
- In August 2026, MOTAT lost estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand, from 16.2% to 14.2%.
- In August 2026, Te Papa lost estimated Share of Search among museums in New Zealand, from 28.5% to 27.3%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Canterbury Museum in New Zealand fell 32.9% over 11 measured months, from 15.2K to 10.2K in August 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Toitū Otago Settlers Museum in New Zealand fell 27.8% over 11 measured months, from 8K to 5.7K in August 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Otago Museum in New Zealand fell 13% over 11 measured months, from 9.7K to 8.4K in August 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Auckland Museum | 45.4% | 85K | -4.5% | Auckland Museum |
| 2 | Te Papa | 27.3% | 51.1K | -13.2% | Te Papa |
| 3 | MOTAT | 14.2% | 26.6K | -20.2% | MOTAT |
| 4 | Canterbury Museum | 5.5% | 10.2K | -1.0% | Canterbury Museum |
| 5 | Otago Museum | 4.5% | 8.4K | -9.1% | Otago Museum |
| 6 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 3.1% | 5.7K | +5.9% | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Auckland Museum | 86.2K | 40.3% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Te Papa | 61.7K | 28.9% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | MOTAT | 32.9K | 15.4% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Canterbury Museum | 15.2K | 7.1% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | Otago Museum | 9.7K | 4.5% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 8K | 3.7% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Auckland Museum | 80.7K | 38% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Te Papa | 67.1K | 31.6% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | MOTAT | 30.9K | 14.5% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Canterbury Museum | 15.1K | 7.1% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 9.4K | 4.4% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Otago Museum | 9.2K | 4.3% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Auckland Museum | 121K | 39.2% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Te Papa | 87.3K | 28.3% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | MOTAT | 58.5K | 19% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Canterbury Museum | 18.6K | 6% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | Otago Museum | 12.1K | 3.9% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 10.9K | 3.5% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Auckland Museum | 128K | 42.2% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | Te Papa | 88.3K | 29% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | MOTAT | 39.2K | 12.9% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 22.8K | 7.5% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | Otago Museum | 14.6K | 4.8% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 10.9K | 3.6% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Auckland Museum | 98.5K | 38.3% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Te Papa | 82.9K | 32.3% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | MOTAT | 27.4K | 10.7% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 22.9K | 8.9% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | Otago Museum | 14K | 5.5% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 11.2K | 4.4% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Auckland Museum | 98.8K | 39.9% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Te Papa | 82.5K | 33.3% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | MOTAT | 27.7K | 11.2% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 18.6K | 7.5% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | Otago Museum | 10.4K | 4.2% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 9.4K | 3.8% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Auckland Museum | 108K | 40.8% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | Te Papa | 76.7K | 29% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | MOTAT | 40.7K | 15.4% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 18.6K | 7% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | Otago Museum | 12.7K | 4.8% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 8K | 3% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Auckland Museum | 71K | 39.8% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Te Papa | 51.5K | 28.9% | 2 |
| May 2026 | MOTAT | 28.1K | 15.8% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 12.5K | 7% | 4 |
| May 2026 | Otago Museum | 8.8K | 4.9% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 6.4K | 3.6% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Auckland Museum | 60K | 39.9% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | Te Papa | 41.9K | 27.9% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | MOTAT | 27.1K | 18.1% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 10.2K | 6.8% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | Otago Museum | 6.4K | 4.2% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 4.6K | 3.1% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Auckland Museum | 89K | 43.1% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Te Papa | 58.9K | 28.5% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | MOTAT | 33.4K | 16.2% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 10.3K | 5% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | Otago Museum | 9.3K | 4.5% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 5.4K | 2.6% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Auckland Museum | 85K | 45.4% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Te Papa | 51.1K | 27.3% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | MOTAT | 26.6K | 14.2% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Canterbury Museum | 10.2K | 5.5% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | Otago Museum | 8.4K | 4.5% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | 5.7K | 3.1% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Auckland Museum | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Canterbury Museum | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | MOTAT | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Otago Museum | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Te Papa | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Toitū Otago Settlers Museum | — | — | — |

## What is being compared

- **Auckland Museum**: Measured on the search terms “auckland museum”, “auckland museum atrium”, “auckland museum auckland domain parnell auckland”, “auckland museum cost”, “auckland museum exhibitions”, “auckland museum hours”, “auckland museum of transport and technology”, “auckland museum online”, “auckland museum parnell auckland”, “auckland museum parnell auckland new zealand”, “auckland museum war”, “auckland war memorial museum auckland domain parnell auckland”, “auckland war memorial museum parnell auckland”, “auckland war memorial museum parnell auckland 1010”, “auckland war memorial museum parnell auckland new zealand”, “auckland war memorial museum photos”, “auckland war memorial museum tickets”, “aucklandmuseum” and “aucklandmuseum com”, summed into one figure.
- **Canterbury Museum**: Measured on the search terms “canterbury museum”, “canterbury museum dinosaur”, “canterbury museum exhibitions”, “canterbury museum photos”, “canterbury museum price” and “canterburymuseum”, summed into one figure.
- **MOTAT**: Measured on the search terms “aviation hall motat”, “motat”, “motat 2”, “motat aviation”, “motat aviation hall”, “motat birthday party”, “motat event”, “motat exhibitions”, “motat great north road western springs auckland”, “motat hours”, “motat map”, “motat museum of transport and technology”, “motat near me”, “motat nz”, “motat opening hours”, “motat price”, “motat shop”, “motat tickets” and “zoo motat”, summed into one figure.
- **Otago Museum**: Measured on the search terms “otago museum”, “otago museum butterflies”, “otago museum events”, “otago museum hours”, “otago museum planetarium”, “otago museum shop”, “otago museum tickets”, “otago museum venues”, “otagomuseum” and “tuhura otago museum”, summed into one figure.
- **Te Papa**: Measured on the search terms “friends of te papa”, “gallipoli exhibition te papa”, “gallipoli te papa”, “te papa”, “te papa admission fee”, “te papa cost”, “te papa exhibition”, “te papa hours”, “te papa museum”, “te papa near me”, “te papa nz”, “te papa online”, “te papa opening hours”, “te papa press”, “te papa tickets”, “te papa whats on”, “tepapa”, “tepapa govt nz”, “tepapa museum”, “tepapa nz” and “tepapa tickets”, summed into one figure.
- **Toitū Otago Settlers Museum**: Measured on the search terms “toitu”, “toitu dunedin” and “toitu museum dunedin”, summed into one figure.

- [Auckland Museum](/demand/nz/brands/auckland-museum)
- [Canterbury Museum](/demand/nz/brands/canterbury-museum)
- [MOTAT](/demand/nz/brands/motat)
- [Otago Museum](/demand/nz/brands/otago-museum)
- [Te Papa](/demand/nz/brands/te-papa)
- [Toitū Otago Settlers Museum](/demand/nz/brands/toitu-otago-settlers-museum)

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among museums in New Zealand?

In August 2026, Auckland Museum was the most searched among museums in New Zealand, with an estimated 85K branded searches and 45.4% estimated Share of Search within this set.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Museums in New Zealand: Which brands are most popular in search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-museums

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-museums. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.