Holiday Lights now on at National Aquarium

Published: 11 December 2018

A magical 'Holiday Lights' display at the National Aquarium leaves visitors mesmerised.

We're “flipping out” with excitement about our inaugural Holiday Lights at the National Aquarium of New Zealand, which opened to visitors last Friday 7 December.

Launched last Thursday night with a special Friends of the Aquarium event attended by hundreds of guests, the response so far has been outstanding, says Dr Adrian Fowler, Director of the National Aquarium.

Visitors to the Aquarium go on a magical journey featuring dazzling light displays and stunning special effects. Sit by a fire and meet some elves, watch the entertaining production line of elves preparing gifts, sing with Santa and watch his sleigh sweep past the moon.

“It has been a joy to see families flooding through the doors and watching the faces of kids - of all ages - light up when they see the displays,” says Adrian.

“The team has put a lot of work into pulling this together - it’s more than just a few Christmas decorations!  We’ve had great support from Napier City Council, Panasonic New Zealand and AtmosFX, a CGI special effects company based in the US.”

Visitors also have the opportunity to “give” gifts to nature. The Aquarium team have made pledges to reduce their impact on the environment, which are displayed throughout the attraction. Visitors can make them too, with the best ones being selected for display on the Christmas tree installed in the foyer.

“I want families, and the community to think about giving something to the planet, to think about what sort of future they want for kids. Little things, even refusing to use a plastic straw, can make a big difference to the wildlife around us,” says Adrian. 

The Holiday Lights event runs until the end of January and is included in the standard admission price.

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