The All Blacks Experience is a guided, interactive attraction in central Auckland that celebrates the teams who wear New Zealand’s famous black jersey. It opened in December 2020 inside the SkyCity precinct and is a joint venture between New Zealand Rugby and Ngāi Tahu Tourism. Rather than a static museum of trophy cabinets, it combines film, sound, cultural storytelling and hands-on skill games to show what the game means in Aotearoa. This guide explains what the attraction is, what you see inside, where it is, how long a visit takes, what tickets cost and who it suits.
Quick Facts
| Attraction | All Blacks Experience |
|---|---|
| Location | Level 4, 88 Federal Street, SkyCity precinct, Auckland CBD |
| Operated by | Joint venture between New Zealand Rugby and Ngāi Tahu Tourism |
| Opened | 2 December 2020 |
| Format | Guided tour through five interactive zones, plus a hands-on skills area |
| Duration | About 45–60 minutes guided; allow 1–1.5 hours overall |
| Opening hours | 7 days, 9:30am–5:30pm (first tour 10am, last tour 4pm) |
| Price from | NZ$35 (child); adults around NZ$69 (check current rates) |
| Phone | 0800 2665 2239 |
| Official site | experienceallblacks.com |
What the All Blacks Experience is
The All Blacks Experience is a purpose-built visitor attraction that tells the story of New Zealand rugby through modern, immersive technology. It took several years to plan and more than a year to build, and it received around NZ$2.28 million in government tourism funding before opening on 2 December 2020. The venue is operated as a partnership between New Zealand Rugby, the national governing body, and Ngāi Tahu Tourism, the tourism arm of the South Island iwi Ngāi Tahu.
Although the name highlights the men’s team, the attraction honours every side that pulls on the black jersey. Alongside the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby team, the tour features the Black Ferns (the women’s team), the Māori All Blacks and the All Blacks Sevens. That breadth is part of the point: visitors leave with a sense of the whole rugby culture, including its Māori heritage and the haka, not just a highlights reel of famous matches.
It is a guided attraction rather than a live sporting event. You will not watch a game here; instead, a host leads your group through a sequence of rooms, and the experience finishes in a free-to-explore interactive zone where you can test your own skills.
A short history of the attraction
The idea for a permanent, interactive home for New Zealand rugby was years in the making. The project was planned over roughly seven years and built across more than a year before it opened, and it was supported by government tourism funding of about NZ$2.28 million. The fit-out turned a central-city floor into a sequence of purpose-designed rooms, screens and skill stations rather than a traditional gallery of display cases.
Its timing was unusual. The attraction opened in December 2020, during a period when New Zealand’s borders were largely closed and international tourism had collapsed, so its early audience was mostly domestic visitors. That context shaped the offer: the Experience was designed to appeal to local families and school groups as much as to overseas fans, and the operators later added Japanese and Chinese subtitled tours as international travel resumed. Ngāi Tahu Tourism, one of the partners, is the tourism business of the South Island iwi Ngāi Tahu and runs a portfolio of well-known New Zealand attractions, which is why the venue places genuine weight on Māori culture rather than treating it as decoration.
Inside the attraction: the zones and the haka
The visit is built around five interactive zones that move from the roots of the game to the pressure of the international stage. A trained host walks each group through the story, sharing first-hand anecdotes from players and explaining the traditions behind the jersey. Group sizes are capped (around 26 people per tour) so everyone can see and hear clearly.
The emotional centrepiece is the haka room. A four-metre-high screen places you in the middle of a packed stadium, face to face with a larger-than-life Test-match haka performed by the team. Spatial sound and the scale of the projection are designed to recreate the intensity that opposing sides feel before kick-off, making it the moment most visitors remember.
The haka is a Māori posture dance, and the All Blacks are best known for two: Ka Mate, the long-standing challenge attributed to the chief Te Rauparaha, and Kapa o Pango, a haka written specifically for the team in 2005. The room gives that tradition room to breathe, explaining what the words and movements mean rather than presenting the haka only as a pre-match spectacle. For many visitors, understanding the story behind it is as valuable as the sensory impact.
The final section is a hands-on interactive zone. Here you can try rugby skills such as kicking at goal, catching and jumping for a lineout take, with digital challenges set against the standards of real players from both the All Blacks and the Black Ferns. It is suitable for all ages and is the part children tend to enjoy most, because it turns watching into doing. If the women’s game catches your interest, the pathway continues into competitions such as Super Rugby Aupiki.
Where it is and how to get there
The attraction is located on Level 4, 88 Federal Street, inside the SkyCity Entertainment precinct in the Auckland CBD, close to the Sky Tower. The central-city setting makes it easy to combine with shopping, dining or other city-centre activities, but it also means parking can be busy at peak times, so planning your arrival helps.
- Public transport: Train and bus services run into the city centre, with Waitematā (Britomart) station and inner-city bus stops a short, flat walk away. Using public transport avoids CBD traffic and parking costs.
- Driving and parking: The SkyCity car park is on Federal Street beneath the complex; check current rates and any pre-book options before you travel.
- Accessibility: The venue is on an upper level reached by lift, with step-free access through the tour. Contact the attraction ahead of time if anyone in your group has specific mobility or sensory needs.
If you have questions about access or bookings, the attraction’s freephone line (0800 2665 2239) is the quickest way to confirm details before your visit.
Tickets, prices and opening hours
The All Blacks Experience is open seven days a week, generally from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Guided tours depart on the hour, with the first tour at 10am and the last at 4pm. The guided portion runs for roughly 45 to 60 minutes, and most visitors spend between one and one and a half hours in total once the interactive zone is included. Guided tours with Japanese and Chinese subtitles have also been offered for international visitors.
Tickets are sold online through the official website and at the venue. Buying ahead is sensible during school holidays, long weekends and around major rugby fixtures, when demand is higher. The prices below are a recent guide in New Zealand dollars; because seasonal pricing changes, always confirm the current rates on the official booking page before you pay.
Ticket Prices
| Ticket type | Recent price (NZD) |
|---|---|
| Adult (15+) | $69 |
| Student | $49 |
| Child (6–14) | $35 |
| Infant (0–5) | Free |
| Family (1 adult, 2 children) | $129 |
| Family (2 adults, 1 child) | $149 |
| Family (2 adults, 2 children) | $173 |
Prices are a recent guide and change seasonally — confirm current rates on the official booking page before you pay.
Family packages, students and groups
Discounted family bundles are designed for households and typically cost less than buying the same tickets individually. Students and children pay reduced rates, infants under six go free, and the attraction also handles school visits and group bookings on request. The All Blacks Experience is a separate product from live rugby: if you want to see the team play in person, that is a different purchase. Our guide to official All Blacks Test match tickets explains how match-day seats are sold and how to avoid resale scams, and you can read wider background on the team and its history on Wikipedia.
Who it suits and tips for your visit
The attraction is aimed at a wide audience: visiting tourists who want an introduction to New Zealand’s national game, families looking for an indoor, weather-proof outing, and dedicated rugby fans who enjoy the storytelling and the skills challenges. Younger children are welcome, and the hands-on zone keeps them engaged. Because the whole visit is indoors and guided, it also works well as a wet-weather fallback when an outdoor Auckland plan falls through.
It suits some visitors better than others. If you already follow the game closely, treat it as a cultural and behind-the-scenes experience rather than a source of new match analysis. If you are new to rugby, it is one of the gentlest introductions you will find, because the host explains the basics as you go. What it is not is a live sporting fixture or a cheap outing: a family group should budget accordingly and weigh it against the cost of attending an actual match.
- Allow enough time: Budget 1 to 1.5 hours so you are not rushed through the interactive zone at the end.
- Dress for the skills games: Comfortable, flat, closed shoes make the kicking and catching challenges easier and safer than sandals or heels.
- Book ahead at busy times: Reserving an online time slot reduces the chance of missing your preferred tour.
- Leave time for the shop: The tour ends near a retail area selling official supporter gear. If you are shopping for an official New Zealand rugby jersey, it is worth knowing the difference between replica and authentic fits first.
How it connects to New Zealand’s rugby story
Part of the appeal of the All Blacks Experience is that it sets the national teams inside the wider game. The teams celebrated on the tour sit at the top of a pathway that runs through school and club rugby, provincial competitions and the professional franchises of Super Rugby Pacific. The haka, the jersey and the values the attraction highlights have deep roots, and visitors who want more context can explore the history and evolution of rugby union that shaped the modern game.
For a first-time visitor, the attraction works as a friendly, structured introduction; for a lifelong supporter, it is a chance to stand inside moments usually seen only on television. Either way, it is best understood as a cultural and sporting showcase rather than a substitute for watching a live Test.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the All Blacks Experience located?
It is on Level 4, 88 Federal Street, inside the SkyCity Entertainment precinct in central Auckland, near the Sky Tower. The city-centre location is reachable on foot from inner-city train and bus services.
How long does a visit take?
The guided tour runs for roughly 45 to 60 minutes, and most people spend between one and one and a half hours in total once they have explored the hands-on interactive zone at the end.
How much do tickets cost?
Recent pricing was about NZ$69 for adults, NZ$35 for children aged 6 to 14, NZ$49 for students, and free entry for infants under six, with cheaper family packages available. Prices change seasonally, so check the official website for current rates.
Which teams does the attraction feature?
It celebrates all of New Zealand’s teams in black, including the All Blacks, the Black Ferns, the Māori All Blacks and the All Blacks Sevens, along with the haka and the culture behind the jersey.
Can I try rugby skills while I am there?
Yes. The visit ends in an interactive zone where you can test skills such as kicking, catching and jumping for a lineout, with digital challenges set against the standards of real All Blacks and Black Ferns players.