Monday’s one off holiday in New Zealand to mourn the death of the Queen will coincide with the state memorial service in Wellington.
Photo: AFP / Ben Birchall / Pool
New Zealand will mourn the death of the Queen by observing a one-off public holiday on Monday, 26 September.
The holiday will coincide with the state memorial service for the Queen, set to be held at the Cathedral of St Paul in Wellington at 2pm. Services will also take place in Auckland and Christchurch.
The day is being treated as a standard public holiday under the Holidays Act, and there are no restrictions on shop opening hours and trading. While most cafes, restaurants and retailers are expected to remain open, some public facilities and attractions will shut their doors on Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day.
Auckland
In Auckland, most council facilities will be closed or operating with reduced hours.
Libraries, community centres, research centres and arts centres will be closed. Pools and leisure centres will be open, but learn to swim lessons have been cancelled.
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland Zoo, New Zealand Maritime Museum and Auckland Stadiums will all be open, operating with public holiday hours.
The Auckland War Memorial Museum will be open with extended hours from 9am-5pm, and will light up purple to celebrate the life of the Queen.
File image. Auckland War Memorial Museum will be lit up to celebrate the life of the Queen.
Photo: Auckland Museum
MOTAT will be closed on Monday, 26 September and reopen on Tuesday. Kelly Tarlton’s Sealife Aquarium, Rainbow’s End and the Botanic Gardens will remain open.
Wellington
All council pools, recreation centres and libraries will be closed in Wellington on 26 September.
The ASB sports centre will be open with reduced hours from 2pm-9:30pm.
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and City Gallery Wellington will be open.
The Wellington Cable Car will be operating with reduced hours from 8:30am-6pm.
Wellington Zoo and Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne will stay open.
The Wellington Cable Car will be operating with reduced hours.
Photo: RNZ / Emile Donovan
Christchurch
All Christchurch city libraries will be closed on Monday. Pools and recreation centres will be operating with public holiday hours.
Most public facilities in the garden city will remain open as normal. Canterbury Museum, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, Orana Wildlife Park, Christchurch Antarctic Centre, the Air Force Museum, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, the Christchurch Gondola and the tram will be open.
Hamilton
Hamilton City Council libraries will close on Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day.
The Hamilton Gardens will be open, but visitors should expect busy car parks and delays.
Hamilton Zoo, Waikato Museum and Taitua Arboretum will also be open. Waterworld and the Gallagher Aquatic Centre will be open with reduced hours between 10am-6pm.
– This story was first published on Stuff.
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