page_title: New Plymouth
section_title: Features and attractions
hierarchical_section_title: New Plymouth / Features and attractions
caption_attribution_description: English: The coastal walkway in New Plymouth taken on a beautiful summers day in the city.
context_page_description: New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth from where the first English settlers to New Zealand migrated. The New Plymouth District, which includes New Plymouth City and several smaller towns, is the 10th largest district in New Zealand, and has a population of 84,400 – about two-thirds of the total population of the Taranaki Region and 1.7% of New Zealand's population. This includes New Plymouth City, Waitara, Inglewood, Ōakura, Ōkato and Urenui.
  The city itself is a service centre for the region's principal economic activities including intensive pastoral activities as well as oil, natural gas and petrochemical exploration and production. It is also the region's financial centre as the home of the TSB Bank, the largest of the remaining non-government New Zealand-owned banks.
  Notable features are the botanic gardens, the critically acclaimed Len Lye Centre and Art Gallery, the 11 km Coastal Walkway alongside the Tasman Sea, the Len Lye-designed 45-metre-tall artwork known as the Wind Wand, Paritutu Rock, and views of Mount Taranaki/Egmont.
context_section_description: New Plymouth District has a reputation as an events centre, with major festivals (the annual TSB Bank Festival of Lights, Taranaki Powerco Garden Spectacular, WOMAD and the biennial Taranaki Arts Festival), sports fixtures (including international rugby, surfing, cricket and tennis matches, and the annual ITU World Cup Triathlon) and concerts (from Sir Elton John, Jack Johnson, REM, John Farnham and Fleetwood Mac).
  With its rich volcanic soil, the city is well known for its gardens. Chief among them are the 52 ha Pukekura Park in the centre of the city (named a Garden of National Significance), and Pukeiti, a rhododendron garden of international significance high on the Pouakai Range.
  Pukekura Park is also the home of the TSB Bank Festival of Lights, which runs for free every year from mid-December to early February. It has daytime and night time programmes of events for people of all ages, and the festival itself transforms the park into an illuminated wonderland every evening.
  Next to the foreshore in the central city is Puke Ariki – the world's first purpose-built, fully integrated museum, library and information centre.
  Nearby is the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, a contemporary art museum. It includes the Len Lye Centre, a purpose-built extension to the museum that houses the collection of film maker and kinetic artist Len Lye, which opened in 2015.
  The Coastal Walkway is a 13 km path that forms an expansive sea-edge promenade stretching almost the entire length of the city, from the Bell Block mouth in the east to Port Taranaki in the west. The pathway includes the iconic Te Rewa Rewa Bridge and is ideal for walking, running, cycling or skating, or simply enjoying the view of the dramatic west coast. It has won numerous awards, including the Cycle Friendly Award in 2008 for the best New Zealand cycle facility.
  Centre City Shopping Centre is the only shopping mall in New Plymouth. It contains over 65 shops and services.
caption: Coastal Walkway in New Plymouth
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