Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre

Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre

15 Rankers Reviews

1 Museums and Galleries

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Information

Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre

“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves”

A tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary, humanitarian, ambassador and one of the world’s greatest explorers, the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre showcases the Aoraki Mount Cook region, its people and its place in the universe. .

Designed to educate and entertain, the centre features a spectacular state-of-the-art 3D movie, New Zealand’s first full dome digital Planetarium and Museum which documents the pioneering heart of the region and features the impressive Hillary Gallery. The cafe and bar area offers indoor and outdoor seating and floor to ceiling mountain views.

Details

Feature Value Info

Organisation

Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Village Ltd

Commercial organisation

Location

South IslandMount Cook - MacKenzieMount Cook

Categories

  • Activity__museums_and_galleriesMuseums and Galleries

Directions

To Office

Reviews

    • Great experience.
    • Fantastic.
    • the drive to Mt.Cook is stunning.
    • Terrific.
    Rating Count Percentage
    10/10 4
    27%
    9/10 4
    27%
    8/10 4
    27%
    7/10 1
    7%
    6/10 1
    7%
    5/10 0
    0%
    4/10 0
    0%
    3/10 0
    0%
    2/10 1
    7%
    1/10 0
    0%
  • 1.0/5

    Museum is a complete rip-off for $25.

    Do yourself a favor and go to the visitor’s centre instead; it’s free and much more informative and interesting.

    Reviewed 12 months ago

    Charles M 's avatar

    Charles M

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    A nice cafe to stay with amazing pies and a beautiful view to Mt Cook!

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    GERMANY
    Mona Uttendorf's avatar

    Mona Uttendorf

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Terrific.

    Film over Mt Cook and surrounds is definitely worth seeing.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

    AUSTRALIA
    Gavin Moffatt's avatar

    Gavin Moffatt

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Very interesting museum with cinema and history of claiming of New Zealand.

    The movies in the cinema are worth it!

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

    CZECH REPUBLIC
    Jiri Sojka's avatar

    Jiri Sojka

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Fantastic.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in January 2016

  • 4.0/5

    Although the displays were small, it gave a great overall view of the history of early white settlement.

    Especially the early female mountaineers.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in January 2016

    AUSTRALIA
    Sabina Carney's avatar

    Sabina Carney

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Go and watch 'Hilary on Everest' at their cinema and be inspired.

    Then have a beer overlooking Mt Cook.

    Reviewed over 13 years ago

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Jonathan Cree's avatar

    Jonathan Cree

    Customer

  • 3.0/5

    A relatively mismatched collection that ably displays the wonderful pioneering history of the region.

    Above all, Sir Edmund Hillary's legacy is the champion feature, although one might question why the free collection of odds and ends at the DOC information center is as, if not more, numerous and factual than that at the commercialised Hermitage that hosts this "alpine centre". The highlight includes a Hillary film doco, looping, and for some the Planetarium feature in the theatre is an experience, to wonder at the rotating concave screen. Surely all can agree that the "3D Movie" is probably the worst thing ever made, and would rate as a rip off if not for the Planetarium feature airing only minutes after. Were this free, it would be unmissable, but it's place as a pricey experience in a commercialised facility boils down to a take it or leave it experience of gawking at some bits and pieces left from the early days, and a very very bizarre sign atop the far stairs alluding to Tenzing's "writhing like a fish" up Everest's infamous Hillary Step. For no discernible reason or suitable context.

    Reviewed over 15 years ago

    AUSTRALIA
    DustyLaptop's avatar

    DustyLaptop

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Very small museum, few activities btut interesting.

    Reviewed almost 12 years ago

  • 1.0/5

    Museum is a complete rip-off for $25.

    Do yourself a favor and go to the visitor’s centre instead; it’s free and much more informative and interesting.

    Reviewed 12 months ago

    Charles M 's avatar

    Charles M

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    A nice cafe to stay with amazing pies and a beautiful view to Mt Cook!

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in November 2016

    GERMANY
    Mona Uttendorf's avatar

    Mona Uttendorf

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Terrific.

    Film over Mt Cook and surrounds is definitely worth seeing.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

    AUSTRALIA
    Gavin Moffatt's avatar

    Gavin Moffatt

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Although the displays were small, it gave a great overall view of the history of early white settlement.

    Especially the early female mountaineers.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in January 2016

    AUSTRALIA
    Sabina Carney's avatar

    Sabina Carney

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Fantastic.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in January 2016

  • 4.5/5

    Very interesting museum with cinema and history of claiming of New Zealand.

    The movies in the cinema are worth it!

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

    CZECH REPUBLIC
    Jiri Sojka's avatar

    Jiri Sojka

    Customer

  • 3.5/5

    Very small museum, few activities btut interesting.

    Reviewed almost 12 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Go and watch 'Hilary on Everest' at their cinema and be inspired.

    Then have a beer overlooking Mt Cook.

    Reviewed over 13 years ago

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Jonathan Cree's avatar

    Jonathan Cree

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    Very good museum, also the different movies that can be seen.

    A very good alternative for a rainy day at Mount Cook.

    Reviewed over 13 years ago

    BELGIUM
    Gert Vogelaers's avatar

    Gert Vogelaers

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Great experience.

    Loved the exhibition and 3D cinema was excellent. Just sorry didn't have more time to do star gazing on night sky tour and some walking.

    Reviewed almost 14 years ago

    Stevenson's avatar

    Stevenson

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    the drive to Mt.Cook is stunning.

    The Alpine centre is well worth the $26 for the 3D theatre and planatatrium + the Museum(incl the documentary on Hillary conquering Everest. All excellent, Views stunning-even if a bit misty.

    Reviewed almost 15 years ago

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Robertson's avatar

    Robertson

    Customer

  • 3.0/5

    A relatively mismatched collection that ably displays the wonderful pioneering history of the region.

    Above all, Sir Edmund Hillary's legacy is the champion feature, although one might question why the free collection of odds and ends at the DOC information center is as, if not more, numerous and factual than that at the commercialised Hermitage that hosts this "alpine centre". The highlight includes a Hillary film doco, looping, and for some the Planetarium feature in the theatre is an experience, to wonder at the rotating concave screen. Surely all can agree that the "3D Movie" is probably the worst thing ever made, and would rate as a rip off if not for the Planetarium feature airing only minutes after. Were this free, it would be unmissable, but it's place as a pricey experience in a commercialised facility boils down to a take it or leave it experience of gawking at some bits and pieces left from the early days, and a very very bizarre sign atop the far stairs alluding to Tenzing's "writhing like a fish" up Everest's infamous Hillary Step. For no discernible reason or suitable context.

    Reviewed over 15 years ago

    AUSTRALIA
    DustyLaptop's avatar

    DustyLaptop

    Customer

  • 4.5/5

    A good way to spend a rainy day, lots of information, some fascinating documentaries and museum pieces.

    There was no need for the CGI Kea though!

    Reviewed almost 16 years ago

    UNITED KINGDOM
    tommfuller's avatar

    tommfuller

    Customer

  • 5.0/5

    Planetarium - very beautiful and good information about the stars.

    Reviewed almost 17 years ago

    Aiko Nishimura's avatar

    Aiko Nishimura

    Customer

  • 4.0/5

    Lots of interesting stuff there, although you'd never know it was there!

    Reviewed almost 17 years ago

    UNITED KINGDOM
    Paul Weston's avatar

    Paul Weston

    Customer