Te Papa vs Wellington Zoo:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Wellington Zoo had more branded searches than Te Papa among Wellington attractions in New Zealand. Wellington Zoo had about 22,300 branded searches, while Te Papa had 16,400. Wellington Zoo made up 22.6% of all Wellington attraction searches we track, and Te Papa accounted for 16.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about Wellington attractions, Te Papa appeared in all five answers and Wellington Zoo in one. Te Papa was mentioned before Wellington Zoo in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Wellington Zoo, about 36% more searches than Te Papa
Who does AI mention more?
Te Papa, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Te Papa, named ahead of Wellington Zoo in every answer
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Top Wellington attractions in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Te Papa appeared in all five answers. Wellington Zoo was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Te Papa was listed before Wellington Zoo in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Te Papa5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Zealandia5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Wellington Cable Car4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Weta Workshop4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Wellington Zoo1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Space Place1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about Wellington attractions
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which attraction should I go to in Wellington, New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best attractions in Wellington, New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best attraction in Wellington, New Zealand for a family day out?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wellington attractions”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“things to do wellington”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 19, 2026.
Is Te Papa or Wellington Zoo more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Te Papa and Wellington Zoo by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six Wellington attractions we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Wellington Zoo, Te Papa. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Wellington Cable Car | Weta Workshop | Wellington Zoo | Te Papa | Zealandia | Space Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 24.5% | 26.7% | 19.5% | 17.2% | 10.8% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 29.6% | 28.9% | 15.9% | 11.6% | 13.2% | 0.71% |
| Dec 2025 | 31.5% | 27.7% | 16.8% | 15.4% | 7.7% | 0.99% |
| Jan 2026 | 29% | 28.2% | 18.9% | 14.2% | 8.6% | 1.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 35.4% | 26.2% | 15.3% | 13.8% | 8.6% | 0.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 31.4% | 24.6% | 16.7% | 15% | 11.3% | 0.98% |
| Apr 2026 | 26.6% | 22% | 21.2% | 19.3% | 9.6% | 1.3% |
| May 2026 | 21.5% | 19% | 31.1% | 15.4% | 11.5% | 1.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 20.7% | 25.4% | 20.1% | 18.1% | 13.6% | 2.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 23.4% | 22.3% | 22.9% | 16.9% | 12.6% | 2% |
| Aug 2026 | 21.6% | 22.4% | 21% | 18.9% | 14.2% | 1.9% |
| Sep 2026 | 23.3% | 23.3% | 22.6% | 16.7% | 12.5% | 1.6% |
How has the Te Papa and Wellington Zoo comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Wellington Zoo was ahead of Te Papa in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Te Papa’s share of searches among Wellington attractions in New Zealand moved from 17.2% to 16.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 19.6K to 16.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wellington Zoo’s share of searches among Wellington attractions in New Zealand moved from 19.5% to 22.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 22.3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand Wellington attractions in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Wellington Zoo gained share of searches among Wellington attractions in New Zealand, from 21% to 22.6%.
In September 2026, Te Papa lost share of searches among Wellington attractions in New Zealand, from 18.9% to 16.7%.
How are branded searches counted?
8 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Te Papa’s and Wellington Zoo’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Te Papa
6 branded search terms
- gallipoli te papa
- te papa
- te papa exhibition
- te papa hours
- te papa press
- tepapa
Wellington Zoo
2 branded search terms
- wellington zoo
- wellington zoo specials
Other head-to-heads among Wellington attractions
- Wellington Cable Car vs Weta Workshop: compare popularity
- Wellington Cable Car vs Wellington Zoo: compare popularity
- Wellington Cable Car vs Te Papa: compare popularity
- Wellington Cable Car vs Zealandia: compare popularity
- Weta Workshop vs Wellington Zoo: compare popularity
- Weta Workshop vs Te Papa: compare popularity
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.