Thank for joining us Deidre. We have Children's Explorer packs available at the Art Deco Centre in Memorial Square for $5. The kids can have a wander around the Art Deco precinct learning about the history of Napier and finding clues. With this lovely spring weather set to continue, it's a great way to get the kids out of the house. Best wishes - Fiona
Nigemac2026.09.16
We only had a day in Napier and decided to book the two hour walking tour the night before.
On arrival we were greeted by two very friendly ladies who informed us we would be the only two on the tour and were introduced to our guide, Esther.
We were then shown a fascinating video about the history of Napier followed by the walking tour itself, which was immensely informative and enjoyable. We learnt about the various Art Deco features and designs on the numerous (very) photogenic buildings. Esther's knowledge was exceptional and she was able to answer our many questions.
This is a must do experience if you are visiting Napier.
Thank you for joining Esther on the 2pm walking tour yesterday. She enjoyed her time with you as well. Thank you also for joining an Art Deco Tour in the Spring shoulder season. The benefit of participating in a walking tour in the off-peak season is the possibility of having a more bespoke experience. Glad you had a great time. Best wishes - Fiona.
dougthompsonBN12026.09.16
Verified
2pm walking tour
The guided tour was VERY informative. Was a bit of speed walking, so if you just has a knee op you will notice it. But there are stop and you have a radio ear piece so you miss nothing.
Thank you for joining us. We’re pleased you found the tour informative! Our walk covers quite a lot, stopping at various locations along the way. For visitors with mobility concerns, our Vintage Car Tours offer a wonderful alternative, exploring Napier’s Art Deco heritage from the comfort of a vintage Packard motor car. We hope you enjoyed your time in Napier and took away some wonderful memories!
A J Wilson2026.09.09
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Christopher. Christopher was an enthusiastic guide with an impressive knowledge of the architecture.
Fabulous review for Chris and glad you enjoyed his informative tour. Happy to pass your comments on to him. Best wishes - Fiona
Savagebyname2026.08.29
A fascinating time capsule of 1930s architecture and local history
Visiting the Art Deco Trust is like stepping directly back into the 1930s. The dedication to preserving the architecture and heritage of the area is wonderfully apparent the moment you walk in. Taking the time to learn about how the town courageously rebuilt itself after the devastating 1931 earthquake adds profound historical context to the beautiful facades lining the streets outside. It is an essential first stop to truly understand and appreciate the unique, world-renowned style of Napier before taking a walking tour.
Parking: Paid street parking in the central town grid
Fees: No fees to enter the shop/centre (Admission fees apply for guided walking or vintage car tours)
Toilets: Toilets are available inside the centre
Public transportation: Easily accessible by local bus
Dog-friendliness: Not dog-friendly inside the heritage building
Dear Stuart - thank you for your kind comments. We're glad you had a great tour. Best wishes - Fiona
Amanda Jarvis2026.08.15
Our Art Deco tour of Napier was absolutely fantastic and easily one of the highlights of our visit.
Tony was such a genuine and lovely guide, with an incredible knowledge of Napier, its Art Deco history, the devastating 1931 earthquake and how the town was rebuilt afterwards. His true passion for Napier really came through in everything he shared.
I also really enjoyed hearing about Tony’s own working life. When I asked him about it, he was so open and willing to share his experiences, which made the tour feel incredibly personal rather than just a standard sightseeing tour.
My parents thoroughly enjoyed it too. Hearing Tony’s stories, learning about Napier’s history and seeing the beautiful old cars gave them a lovely glimpse back into an era closer to their younger days. It brought such a wonderful sense of nostalgia and made the experience even more special.
Tony mentioned that this was one of his last tours before retiring at the end of the month, which made us feel especially lucky to have had him as our guide. Napier is clearly a town he genuinely loves, and his warmth, knowledge and passion made the whole experience unforgettable.
A truly wonderful tour and one we would highly recommend. We wish Tony all the very best for his retirement!
Dear Amanda - thank you so much for your very kind comments regarding your vintage car tour with Tony. He's been the backbone of our driving team for many years, and we will all miss him. He'll be hanging up his driving hat at the end of this month to swap it for his bowling cap with the aim of spending more time on the bowling green. I'm so glad your tour was so rewarding. We aim to maintain the high standard that Tony set for us all. Best wishes - Fiona Simon.
Cathy C2026.08.07
Verified
Not just a walk!
A wonderful tour, the video at the start set the scene and explanations on the walk brought it all together. It has heightened my awareness and knowledge of building architecture.
So glad you were able to join our walking tour and that it was a source of inspiration for you. Thank you for supporting the Art Deco Trust. Best wishes - Fiona
Sue C2026.08.07
Verified
Art Deco Delights
A very interesting well paced tour. Allan was an excellent guide and we thoroughly recommend this tour.
Thank you for your feedback and I'll be sure to pass your comment on to Alan. Thanks for joining us. Best wishes - Fiona
Ceemee12026.08.07
Verified
This tour is a must do in Napier!
We did the 1 hour tour and throughly enjoyed it. Our driver/guide Tony was brilliant, very friendly and extremely knowledgeable of the area and the beautiful art deco buildings. We even got to dress the part which added to the experience. If you are in Napier this tour is a must!
We are glad the sunny weather made your walk enjoyable and we hope to welcome you back in summer for our popular Summer Art Deco Festival. Thanks for your review, Sheryl.
Jason T2026.07.18
Verified
Pleasant and passionate
Great way to get a feel for the city
Thanks for joining our walking tour. Hope you had an enjoyable time in Napier. Regards, Sheryl.
Bec G2026.07.12
Verified
A must do in Hawkes Bay
We had a wonderful time learning about Napier’s art deco features and history. The walk was well-paced, informative and the headsets ensured we could easily hear our guide.
Very informative walking tour
We really enjoyed our walking tour with John. He also took us inside two of the buildings, which was an added bonus. He was passionate as well as knowledgeable and it was well worth it. A lovely, memorable experience!
Glad you had an enjoyable time with John. He's a very enthusiastic volunteer guide and loves to welcome our guests. I will pass your comments on to him. Best wishes - Fiona
Loads of fun
We went on the driving tour around Napier with Michael. He was very knowledgeable about the city. It was a very enjoyable tour. We had lots of fun and would recommend this tour, it was worth what we paid. Thank you Art Deco Trust.
Date of experience: 18 June, 2026
Worth every dollar!
What a fantastic experience! We hired 2 cars because there were 6 of us. Ian and Michael were fantastic sports. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience from the film at the beginning to the shopping at the end. There was a lot of laughing and frivolity.
The history of Napier and the art deco era was very interesting. I absolutely recommend this tour.
Date of experience: 18 June, 2026
Car tour a must!
We did a car tour and our guide, Tony, was fabulous. Having done some research on Art Deco buildings in Western Australia, I had a lot of questions! Tony answered all of them with knowledge and flair. We could only spend half a day in Napier so Tony's tour was a great way to see a bit of everything. Highly recommended.
Date of experience: 05 June, 2026
On 25 May 2026 we did the 1,5 hour tour which was great. Our guide was Tony and he did a great job. The film at the beginning of the tour was helpful to understand the historical context and situation after the earthquake. During the walk through the city Tony explained the special characteristics of the Art Deco period showing us many beautiful buildings. Without the tour we would have never noticed any of the details. Although we were only a small group, everybody got headsets, which we appreciated as we could understand everything very well. We highly recommend doing the tour. Today we walked through Whangarei and we saw several Art Deco buildings (by far not as beautiful as in Napier) which we only recognized as Art Deco buildings because of Tony’s great explanation. Many thanks! 😊
Thank you for your kind review and glad you enjoyed your tour with Tony. A copy of this review has been forwarded to him. We are thrilled you were able to spot other Art Deco buildings on your trip up north. Best wishes - Fiona.
Joanne C2026.06.03
Verified
Awesome walking tour!
We really enjoyed our afternoon tour with John last Monday - he was very knowledgeable and engaging and as locals we found out so much about Art Deco we previously didn’t know! Loved it and highly recommended!
Verified Company
