Wellington Beehive

 Parliament House and the ‘Beehive’

Visitors to Thorndon in Wellington, the nation’s oldest suburb, are invited to take a leisurely and informative tour of the intriguing Parliament buildings. New Zealand’s Parliament comprises four distinct buildings — Parliament House, the Parliamentary Library, the Beehive (also known as Executive Wing), and Bowen House.

These buildings form the nucleus of the nation’s democracy, and are integral to its national heritage. Parliament House is an Edwardian neo-classical building designed by architects John Campbell and Claude Paton in 1912 (and reoccupied in 1918), to replace the previous building that was destroyed by fire in 1907.

The 'Beehive' is the popular name for the Executive Wing of the parliamentary complex, so-called due to the building’s shape. This is where the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers have offices, and where the Cabinet meets.

Sir Basil Spence, a British architect, designed a concept for the Beehive during a visit to Wellington in 1964. The design was based on the concept of a central point from which rooms and offices radiated outwards. The Beehive was built in stages between 1969 and 1979, when the first parliamentary offices moved in.

The Beehive is 72 metres tall and has 14 ‘levels‘ in all: 10 floors above ground and four floors below. It is connected to Bowen House, home to the offices of many Ministers and parliamentary members, via an underground walkway beneath the street of the same name. The interior of the building is decorated with marble floors and grand pillars and other touches; the Banquet Hall, on the first floor of the Beehive, is the largest function room in the parliamentary complex, while the basement contains the National Crisis Management Centre.

To encourage the public and tourists to learn more about New Zealand’s government and history, free tours of Parliament Buildings operate every day, on the hour. Tours depart from the Visitor Centre in the foyer of the Beehive (Executive Wing). Weekdays 10am-4pm; Saturdays and most public holidays 10am-3pm, and Sundays 11am-3pm.

Accompanied by a trained guide, the tour will take you through several significant parts of the Parliament’s buildings, including the library and Beehive, where visitors will learn about New Zealand’s parliamentary processes. Along the way you will also glimpse artworks displayed in the rooms and halls. There’s also a popular gift shop where you can buy postcards and souvenirs to commemorate your visit to this site of both historical value and immense present day importance.