Things indoors: Alberton house

Alberton house is one of many historical homesteads around Auckland, and takes us back to a simpler time when Auckland was just finding its place in the world. It looks fantastically gothic and victorian and is furnished in traditional victorian era decor. It's a building that few people have even heard of, let alone been to in Auckland despite it belonging to NZ's historic places trust.

The timber building began life as a farmhouse in 1863 in present-day Mt. Albert, and was later expanded into the 18 room villa that you see today. It has been expanded into a house that you could only imagine of in fairy tales, with an elaborately decorated verandah and tower.
It was originally owned by the Kerr Taylors family, until it was left to the trust in 1972. Allan Kerr Taylor was a prominent landowner and politician, while his second wife, Sophia, was an outspoken women's vote advocate and mother of ten children. The family retained the property for another 80 years after his death until it was given to the trust.

Although Alberton is not well-known today, it was relatively famous in the 19th Century for its balls, parties, musical entertainment, and hunts. Today, it retains a lot of its original 19th Century wallpaper and possessions which are available for public viewing.

Alberton Hall is still open to the public and can even be hired out for special events.
It is open every wednesday to sunday 10:30am-4:30pm, and is closed on Christmas and Good Friday.
Children are free and Adults are $10. You can buy an $18 Auckland passport which allows you to enter Highwic, Alberton and Ewelme for one year just by bringing your pass along with you.
It is also free to enter if you are member of the NZ historic places trust or the national trusts of a number of current and former commonwealth nations.
It is advised when you visit the hall that you do not wear stilettos as they can scuff the wooden flooring.

You can drive here and park on Mt albert road, or you could take the train to Mt. Albert train station and walk, or you could take any of the buses that go down mt albert road.

100 Mount Albert Road
Mount Albert
Auckland 1025