Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Story
Ngā pātai auau
About us
In 2019, Wellington lost one of its most loved public spaces when the Central Library closed for earthquake strengthening. For seven years, this space at the heart of our city lay quiet. Now Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui – the window to the wider world – has reopened. Strengthened, reimagined, and renewed, it is once again a place for knowledge, wonder, and belonging. A place for us all.
A window to a wider world
A uniquely Wellington challenge
After the closure, Wellingtonians asked: could we make something even better? Could we create a space that remembered what we loved, while also reflecting who we are today?
The decision was made to strengthen the building to the highest level of seismic resilience. This was not just about safety – it was about reimagining what Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui could be.
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa
A transformational partnership
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Mana whenua were at the centre of this journey. Guided by the Council’s Tākai Here partnership and the Tūpiki Ora, Wellington City Council’s 10 year Māori strategy, Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui was shaped in full engagement and collaboration.
Design lead Tihei, led by artist and carver Rangi Kipa, worked alongside Athfield Architects to weave mana whenua perspectives into the very fabric of the building, transforming Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui into a living cultural taonga.
Inspired by nature
RAWA
Living cultural works
Throughout Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui are treasures known as Rawa. More than art, they are living cultural expressions that carry mātauranga (knowledge), whakapapa, and mauri.
Created by mana whenua artists Darcy Nicholas, Ngahina Hohaia, Wiremu Barriball, and the poetry of J.C. Sturm (Brown Optimism), the Rawa invite reflection and connection.
Earth Mothers: Darcy Nicholas
Ngā Tai o te Ao Mārama: Ngahina Hohaia & Tihei
Ko Rangi, Ko Papa: Wiremu Barriball
Brown Optimism: J.C. Sturm
From carvings and stonework to inlays, joinery, and acoustic panels, the Rawa are woven into the building’s design. They are part of the experience, not separate from it.
A reawakening
In September 2025, Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui was rededicated in a dawn ceremony led by mana whenua. Through karakia, waiata, poi, and whaikōrero, mauri was breathed into the building and the Rawa.
This reawakening marked the transformation from old to new, preparing Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui for its return to the people – and for our return to it.
A place for everyone
Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui is our library – reimagined to create a civic heart where cultures connect, ideas flourish, and everyone has a place. As part of the wider Te Ngākau Civic Precinct, Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui stands alongside Te Whare Toi | City Gallery and the Te Whare Whakarauika | Wellington Town Hall, helping bring the cultural heart of Pōneke back to life.
Read, learn, and research
Play, create, and imagine
Discover our stories and whakapapa
Relax, reflect, and restore
Gather as a community
Belong
The journey continues.
The rebuild may be finished, but the story of Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui continues to live and grow. With each visit, each gathering, and each new idea sparked within its walls, the window to the wider world opens further.
This is our place. This is your place. Nau mai, haere mai.
Ngā pātai auau
Frequently asked questions
65 Victoria Street, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand.
Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui is a civic space for reading, learning, making and connecting.
You can:
- Borrow books and access digital resources
- Study, work or meet with others
- Explore exhibitions
- Visit Tō Tātou Pōneke | Our Wellington
- Use Makerspaces and creative technology
- Bring tamariki to Taiwhanga Tamariki | Children’s Space
- Attend events, talks and workshops
Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui is located in Te Ngākau Civic Square in central Pōneke, Wellington.
It’s easily accessible by bus, train, bike and on foot.
Visit Plan Your Visit for transport options and directions.
Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui is Wellington’s reimagined central library. The name means 'a window to the wider world'. It is a strengthened and renewed civic space where cultures connect, stories are shared, ideas flourish, and everyone belongs. Here you can read, create, explore heritage, gather as a community... or simply pause in the heart of the city. You can view more at About Us.