Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith
10 Oct 2026 - 1 Feb 2027
Curated by Joanne Snrech (Musée national Picasso–Paris), Sophie Matthiesson (Auckland Art Gallery)
Tickets on sale 7 September
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Tickets and pricing
Audio guide
School groups
FAQ
About the exhibition
Picasso like you’ve never seen him before. Encounter the Blue and Rose periods, Cubism, portraits of family and friends, and more in the first solo exhibition of Picasso’s work in Aotearoa New Zealand in more than 30 years.
See over 80 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and ceramics from one of the world’s most influential artists, Pablo Picasso. The exhibition brings together celebrated works from the Musée national Picasso–Paris in a special collaboration with legendary British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith.
Sir Paul’s sensory-rich rooms draw on the hues, shapes, patterns and textures of Picasso's artworks. His design transforms the gallery spaces into carefully choreographed environments, using colour, pattern and unexpected materials to characterise the chapters of Picasso’s life and work in new ways.
In collaboration with the Musée national Picasso–Paris
This exhibition is organised by Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in collaboration with the Musée national Picasso–Paris.
The exhibition is indemnified by the New Zealand Government. Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith is proudly supported by HSBC, Resene, Auckland MINI Garage and East Auckland MINI Garage, Omnigraphics, Cordis and the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation.
Banner image artwork credit: Pablo Picasso,Tête de taureau, 1931, saddle and handlebars (leather and metal), Musée national Picasso-Paris © Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2026. Image credit: © GrandPalaisRmn (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau.
Tickets and pricing
Tickets go on sale 7 September 2026.
Pricing
- Adults (New Zealanders): $30
- Adults (International tourists): $40
- Members: Free
- Seniors and Community Card holders: $27
- Students (with student ID): $21
- Family pass (2 adults and 2 students): $85
- Children 12 and under: Free
Student mid-week ticket special
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, students enjoy $18 tickets to Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith. This offer is available for students aged 12 and up with valid student ID.
How to book tickets
You can buy tickets online or in-person at the front desk. If you have pre-booked your ticket online, head to the front desk when you arrive at the Gallery to get your paper ticket
To help us manage the number of people inside the Gallery spaces, tickets are purchased for a specific date and time. Please note:
- You can change the date or time of your booking through the link sent with your purchase if you bought tickets online.
- If you need help changing the date or time of your booking, call the Gallery during opening hours from 10am to 5pm daily on +64 9 307 7700.
See the FAQ section for more information about booking.
Member tickets
Members go free. To guarantee entry at your preferred time, please book a free Member ticket online in advance.
You can also present your membership card at the information desk on the day of your visit and you will be issued a ticket to the exhibition for the next available time.
Join us as a Member on the same day as your visit to Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith and we’ll refund the price of your exhibition ticket.
Audio guide
Explore the intersections of Picasso’s life and art with the Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith audio guide.
Written and narrated by Dr Sophie Matthiesson, senior curator international art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
You can hire the audio guide at the Gallery’s front desk or book one online in advance. The guide can be accessed on your own smartphone, or you can borrow a device from the front desk on arrival. See the FAQ section for more information about audio guides.
School groups
School group bookings opening soon.
Free or discounted tickets are available for primary, secondary and tertiary school groups.
- Primary school group students: Free
- Secondary school group students: $15
- Tertiary group students: $15
Please book your school group at least two weeks in advance to ensure we can accommodate your group.
We may need to split large groups into smaller groups, depending on exhibition capacity. We reserve the right to add extra staff to supervise large groups. Discounted entry is only available for groups who book in advance and separate charges may apply for accompanying teachers and adults.
Teacher/adult-to-student ratios apply:
- Years 1 to 4 (ages 5 to 9) – 1:6
- Years 5 to 7 (ages 10 to 11) – 1:7
- Years 7 to 10 (ages 12 to 15) – 1:10
- Years 11 to 13 (ages 16 to 18) – 1:30
Frequently asked questions
To help us manage capacity inside the exhibition, tickets must be booked for a specific date and time. Please note:
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Entry times are available every 15 minutes.
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You can enter with your ticket up to 5 minutes after the booked time. After this, the Gallery will let you know if there's space inside the exhibition.
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There is no limit to the length of time you can spend inside the exhibition.
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The Gallery closes at 5pm, so book and arrive with enough time to enjoy the exhibition before we close.
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You can change the date or time of your booking through the link sent with your purchase if you buy tickets online.
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Children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Select a free child ticket when booking online if you're bringing children 12 and under.
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Prices include GST but do not include booking or credit card fees.
The audio guide for Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith is available in English only.
Audio guide pricing:
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$7 for general admission guests
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$6.30 for Gallery Members. Please note, the Member discount is not available online
Audio guide terms and conditions:
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If you purchase an audio guide online prior to visiting the Gallery, you’ll need to display your ticket to staff at the front desk to receive an access code.
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Please bring your own headphones (both if using your own device or if renting one).
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If you would like to rent a device, please see staff at the Gallery’s front desk. You will need to fill out a registration form with your name and mobile number so we can track which device you have. You will need to return the borrowed device to the front desk after use. There is limited stock of devices to hire, so these are available on a first come first served basis.
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You can access the audio guide for as long as needed on the day of your visit.
We recommend allowing 60 to 90 minutes to see Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith. There is no limit to how long you can spend in the exhibition once you enter.
Yes! We encourage and welcome families with children of all ages to visit Picasso: Designed by Paul Smith. Children aged 12 and under go free with an accompanying adult.
You can reserve your free child tickets when purchasing online or from our information desk on the day of your visit.
Pick up a free kids and whānau guide for the exhibition from the information desk before visiting for an interactive exploration for tamariki or extend your visit with a trip to Te Aka Matua | The Creative Learning Centre. Please note the Creative Learning Centre will be closed from 26 October to 13 November.
To help us manage capacity inside the exhibition spaces, all tickets must have a reserved time and date.
Each ticket allows a single entry to the exhibition. There is no limit to how long you can spend inside the exhibition after entry.
Exhibition supporters
