Best Art Galleries in Whanganui: 5 Places to See and Buy Original Art
Whanganui has an unusually deep arts scene for a city its size, recognised as a UNESCO City of Design, and the galleries below reflect that range: a commercial gallery holding international collectables, an artist-run venue with working studios, a contemporary craft store, and an exhibition space given over entirely to book illustration. All five are within the central city or a short drive of it, and all five sell work as well as show it.
1Art by the River
Art by the River is a contemporary art gallery in the historic United Ancient Order of Druids building at 1B Bell Street, a short walk from the Sarjeant Gallery. Founded by art dealer Richard Browes, it shows established and emerging New Zealand artists alongside a Collectables selection holding work by internationally recognised names. Over 60 artists and more than 250 works are on display, and everything can be bought in the gallery or online.
Services
- Original work by contemporary New Zealand painters, sculptors, photographers and mixed media artists
- Collectables selection featuring Banksy, Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Salvador Dali and Grayson Perry
- Changing exhibition programme with artist talks and workshops
- Online purchasing with domestic and international shipping
- To-scale digital mockups so you can see a work in your own room before buying
Highlights
- Founded by Richard Browes, a collector of more than 20 years who opened the gallery after a career in law, commercial and media
- Housed in the heritage Druids building, a landmark on Bell Street
- Over 60 artists and more than 250 works on display at any one time
- Sister gallery to Art by the Sea in Auckland
- Search the collection by price, size, subject and medium before you visit
Customer Feedback
Location & Contact
Name: Art by the River
Address: 1B Bell Street, Whanganui
Phone: 021 287 4229
Website: artbytheriver.co.nz
Contact Art by the River via Email
2Fine Arts Whanganui
Fine Arts Whanganui sits on Taupo Quay in the central city and shows a rotating group of New Zealand painters and printmakers, among them Craig Hooker, Sharad Kumar, Esther Rose, Guy Wood, Lindsay Marsh and Kris Bryant. It runs a programme of upcoming and past exhibitions rather than a fixed hang, so the walls change through the year. Opening runs Wednesday to Sunday, with a Saturday morning slot that suits a weekend visit into town.
Services
- Original paintings and prints by New Zealand artists
- Rotating exhibition programme
- Represented artist profiles and available works
- Artwork sales through the gallery
Highlights
- Central location on Taupo Quay in the city’s arts precinct
- Represents a named roster of New Zealand painters and printmakers
- Open five days including Saturday and Sunday
Location & Contact
Name: Fine Arts Whanganui
Address: 17 Taupo Quay, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 348 2080
Website: fineartswhanganui.com
3Space Studio & Gallery
Space Studio & Gallery is an artists venue on Saint Hill Street founded in February 2012, built to give emerging and established artists somewhere to both make and exhibit work. Alongside the exhibition programme it houses working studios, keeps a stock room of available pieces, and hosts workshops, markets and live music through the year. It is the place to go if you want to see work in progress rather than only the finished hang.
Services
- Exhibition programme across multiple concurrent shows
- Stock room of available works for collectors
- Working artist studios on site
- Workshops, markets and live music events
- Venue hire for events and exhibition proposals
Highlights
- Artist-run venue operating since February 2012
- Supports emerging alongside established artists
- Working studios on site, not just exhibition space
- Open programme for event and exhibition proposals
Location & Contact
Name: Space Studio & Gallery
Address: 18 Saint Hill Street, Whanganui 4500
Website: spacestudiogallery.co.nz
4Katie Brown & Co
Katie Brown & Co is a contemporary art and lighting store on the corner of Ridgway Street and Drews Avenue, showing craft-led work hand-picked by Katie Brown. The range runs across studio glass, hand-thrown ceramics, bronze, jewellery and lighting, with makers including John Tullett, Luke Jacomb, Annie Sandano, Ana Krakosky and Judy Buckingham. It suits anyone after an original piece to live with rather than a wall-only work.
Services
- Contemporary studio glass and ceramics
- Artist-made jewellery
- Bronze and sculptural work
- Designer lighting
- Online shop with shipping
Highlights
- Pieces individually selected by Katie Brown
- Represents named New Zealand makers across several craft disciplines
- Open Monday to Sunday, or by appointment outside those hours
- Corner site in the central city, close to the other Drews Avenue galleries
Location & Contact
Name: Katie Brown & Co
Address: 29 Ridgway Street, Whanganui
Phone: 06 347 1921
Website: katiebrown.co.nz
5Lockett Gallery
Lockett Gallery on Guyton Street is an exhibition space given over entirely to book illustrators, showing the artwork behind published books away from the page it was made for. Visitors can browse original illustration alongside prints, books and merchandise. It shares a doorway arrangement with Paige’s Book Gallery next door, so Monday and Tuesday visits are a matter of knocking and being let in.
Services
- Exhibitions of original book illustration
- Original artwork for sale
- Prints, books and merchandise
- Online shop
Highlights
- Dedicated exclusively to book illustrators as a subject
- Shows original illustration outside its usual published context
- Open Wednesday to Saturday, with Monday and Tuesday access via Paige’s Book Gallery
Location & Contact
Name: Lockett Gallery
Address: 65a Guyton Street, Whanganui 4500
Website: lockettgallery.co.nz
Art Galleries in Whanganui at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Art by the River | Whanganui | Founded by Richard Browes |
| Fine Arts Whanganui | Whanganui | Central location on Taupo Quay in the city's arts precinct |
| Space Studio & Gallery | Whanganui | Artist-run venue operating since February 2012 |
| Katie Brown & Co | Whanganui | Pieces individually selected by Katie Brown |
| Lockett Gallery | Whanganui | Dedicated exclusively to book illustrators as a subject |
How to Choose the Right Art Gallery in Whanganui
- Decide whether you are visiting or buying. Every gallery here sells work, but some are set up for browsing a changing exhibition and others for choosing a piece to take home. Both are welcome; it just changes how much time to allow.
- Check the hours before you drive in. Several of these galleries close Monday and Tuesday or open by appointment, and two of them keep shorter afternoons on Sunday.
- Match the gallery to the medium. Painting and print, studio glass and ceramics, and book illustration are all represented in Whanganui, and the galleries specialise rather than overlap.
- Ask about provenance and authentication on anything sold as a limited edition or an international work. A gallery that deals in collectables will have documentation and should offer it without being asked.
- Ask about shipping and framing early. Most will arrange freight, and a work that needs framing or crating changes both the timeline and the final cost.
Frequently Asked Questions About Art Galleries in Whanganui
Do I need an appointment to visit?
Usually not during standard hours, though Art by the River is by appointment on Monday and Tuesday, and Lockett Gallery asks you to knock at Paige’s Book Gallery on those days. Ringing ahead is worth it if you are making a special trip.
Can I buy art directly from these galleries?
Yes. All five sell work, and several also run an online shop with shipping. Prices vary widely by artist and medium, so ask the gallery directly rather than assuming a range.
What should I check before buying an expensive piece?
Ask for provenance, edition details and a written receipt describing the work. For anything sold as an authenticated print or an international edition, the gallery should be able to show its documentation. Your rights as a buyer are covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act and the Fair Trading Act, explained by Consumer Protection.
Do New Zealand artists receive a royalty when their work is resold?
Yes, for qualifying resales through an art market professional. The Resale Royalty Scheme entitles eligible visual artists to a royalty on secondary sales, and is administered under the Ministry for Culture and Heritage resale royalty scheme. A gallery handling a resale should be able to explain how it applies.
Is Whanganui worth a trip just for the galleries?
It has an unusual concentration for its size, helped by its UNESCO City of Design status and the reopened Sarjeant Gallery. Several of the galleries above are within a few streets of each other in the central city, so a half day covers most of them on foot.
Can these galleries frame or install work?
Ask individually. Some arrange framing through local framers and some sell ready-to-hang work only. If a piece needs framing, factor that into both cost and how soon you can hang it.
Do they take commissions?
Several represent artists who accept commissions, though it is arranged between you and the artist with the gallery introducing you. Lead times are usually months rather than weeks.
Are the galleries accessible?
It varies, and several occupy heritage buildings where access was not part of the original design. Space Studio notes accessible entry by arrangement. Ring ahead if step-free access matters.
How We Chose the Best Art Galleries in Whanganui
Every business in this guide was found by searching for art galleries in Whanganui, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Whanganui, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.
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