National Library of New Zealand, National library in Wellington, New Zealand.

The National Library of New Zealand stands on the corner of Aitken and Molesworth Streets in Wellington, beside the Parliament Buildings and the Court of Appeal. Its light grey concrete facade carries a repeating row of vertical fins that step outward at angles, leaving deep recessed slots between them. Two angular window boxes project on the right, and raised white letters on the base read "NATIONAL LIBRARY OF NEW ZEALAND" and "TE PUNA MATAURANGA O AOTEAROA".

The National Library of New Zealand was formed in 1965 by the National Library Act, which merged the General Assembly Library, the Alexander Turnbull Library and the National Library Service. The General Assembly Library had been funded by Parliament in 1856, and the Turnbull Library was founded in 1920. In 1987 staff and collections from 14 Wellington sites moved into the new building, whose architecture was influenced by Boston City Hall. The library took its Māori name, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, in 1988.

The library's te reo Māori name, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, adopted in 1988, means "the wellspring of knowledge of New Zealand". The Alexander Turnbull Library, founded in 1920 and now part of the National Library, holds a collection focused on New Zealand culture and history, Māori and non-Māori. The Archive of New Zealand Music was established here in 1974 at the suggestion of composer Douglas Lilburn.

The building sits centrally in Wellington's government district and is easily accessible on foot. Keep in mind that some areas may have specific access requirements depending on which collections or materials you wish to explore.

The building manages ISBN and ISSN numbers for all publications across New Zealand, not just housing books. This administrative role makes it a crucial hub for the nation's publishing world in ways that visitors often overlook.