The National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, located across from Parliament, is one of the country's leading cultural and information centres. It holds rich and varied collections of research material, and houses the Alexander Turnbull Library, a "library within a library" specialising in documentary materials ­ books, manuscripts, photographs, drawings and prints, music, newspapers, maps, oral history tapes ­ relating to New Zealand and the Pacific.

Public exhibitions of material from the Library's heritage collections, and from sources outside the Library, are on regular display in the Gallery, and murals and works of art from the Library's contemporary art collection can be seen throughout the building. The Gallery runs a lively public events programme, and some exhibitions tour to other parts of the country so that people throughout New Zealand can view the priceless treasures the Library holds in trust for them.