A Guide To Monopoly Wellington

Oh, the fond memories of three hour long games resulting in fiery family riffs, the flurry of chance cards, player and property pieces and paper money sprawled on the lounge floor. We’re talking about everyone’s favourite board game, Monopoly. The board game first hit the shelves in 1935, and as of last week, Monopoly Wellington is a reality.

Monopoly: Wellington Edition will showcase the capital city’s iconic streets, hangouts, sights and landmarks. We have more than one favourite when it comes to our neighbourhood. Here are a few that are quintessentially Wellington:

City Gallery Wellington

We love art. Art nourishes the soul and itches the chin. Art is smug magic. Art has power to shift perspectives and in the Creative Capital, the City Gallery Wellington leads the charge. Located in the heart of Wellington, between the harbour and 9-5 district, the City Gallery works collaboratively with artists, galleries and collectors to present works of significance and educational events that challenge, inspire and increase appetite for curiosity.

“City Gallery’s activities are designed to nurture curiosity in the ideas explored within contemporary art. Our exhibitions have an edge, they are canon shaping and add to the contemporary art narrative” – Elizabeth Caldwell, City Gallery Director

Cuba Street

Satisfy your nose and your stomach in Wellington’s own little bohemia. Whether you’re a hipster or suit, new to the city or a long-time residents, Cuba Street is a creative and culinary melting pot of buskers, art galleries, graffiti-filled alleyways and quirky cafes – which never gets old.

Te Papa Tongarewa

The very reason our hotel building was dubbed ‘Hotel de Wheels’, our grandeur neighbour, Te Papa Tongarewa is one of our favourite spots to cruise along to on the weekends. The year 1993 saw the hotel, then 3000-tonne, four-storey building, take a 120-metre journey from where Te Papa Tongarewa now resides towards its new resting ground. The daring feat was a true spectacle to say the least, but resulted in our beaut national museum. Home to countless Kiwi treasures, educating locals and tourists alike 365 days a year.

Zealandia

Zealandia is the world’s first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary, with a 500-year vision to restore Wellington valley’s forest and freshwater to its pre-human state. Sitting pretty in the sleepy suburb of Kaori, and formerly known as the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, it has successfully reintroduced 18 species of native wildlife back into the area since 1999.

QT Museum Wellington

Nestled between Wellington’s varied and vivacious offerings, we’re in the crux of the city’s ever-evolving art, culture and food scene. Design, quirk and innovation are our middle-names as we celebrate are past as the Museum Art Hotel and immerse ourselves in all Wellington has to offer. We like to think we’re a quintessentially Wellington hotel where art, design, curiosities and a dash of the absurd awaits, with an iconic past and forward-thinking future.

Although, we’re not the first spot to have our own, Monopoly: Auckland Edition and Monopoly: New Zealand Edition have been around the last couple of years,  

Today, Monopoly is played by 1 billion people in 144 countries, and comes in 47 different languages. We’ve only got our eyes on Wellington’s version and we’ve got the goods in our Lobby boutique shop, Qtique.

words by chris lee.