Weta Cave is the shop and tours section of the award-winning Weta Workshop. The workshop was founded in Wellington’s Miramar Peninsula in 1987 by husband and wife Richard Taylor and Tania Rodgers. Noted New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson collaborated with Weta for practical effects from his first feature film, Bad Taste.

But it was the work of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital in Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy that made Weta a household name in filmmaking throughout the world, and lead to the Weta Cave’s opening in 2008. As such it, makes sense that this space is primarily a The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit souvenir shop, but there are many other fantastic offerings around the cave, including memorabilia from other Weta collaborations such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Alita: Battle Angel.

Outside, visitors can take photos in front of a door made just for a hobbit, and with life-size trolls from the films. The interior is filled with movie props and costume pieces from films such as Avatar and District 9. Weta Cave also hosts guided tours, which consist of 45 minutes of film creativity and Weta Workshop insight.

The guides and Weta Cave retail staff are passionate and relish at the opportunity to share their film knowledge with visitors.