Wētā Workshop Unleashed is a 90-minute guided tour at Level 5, 88 Federal Street, in SkyCity, Auckland. It is run by Wētā Workshop, the studio behind the practical effects of many films, which the website says has won five Academy Awards. The tour takes visitors through three films made by the studio's crew and shows how practical effects are made, with animatronics, a towering alien robot, monsters and castle sets. Visitors can get hands-on, and the tour is designed as a family outing, with a family pass on offer. Evening tours leave at 5.10pm and 6.10pm, and the website says booking online saves money.
The studio also runs creative workshops, including a 60-minute sculpting session and a 90-minute session in which visitors build miniature landscapes from recycled materials. The website describes the experience as a chance to see how wild ideas become what audiences see on screen. Our pick in Auckland for a family outing with a behind-the-scenes look at film effects.