Summer is such a great time to pay a visit to Wellington, particularly when you’ve got the time to take in the museum marvels at a leisurely pace. Te Papa and Weta Workshop are gearing up for this weekend’s opening of the blockbuster science exhibition, Bug Lab. Recently, I met some of the creative brains behind this epic summer exhibition, which aspires to transform the way we think about bugs. Head of Exhibition Content, Frith Williams, told me the concept is centred on the genius of bugs and their development over 400 million years.

Only now with technology and scientific advances, are we really starting to understand their breath-taking brilliance. Six genius bugs will form the core focus of the exhibition like the beguiling orchid mantis, whose deceptive beauty adds meaning to that old adage that looks can kill. You’ll marvel at a beetle, one of the world’s smallest chemical weapons, that shoots boiling hot spray from its butt. I was also given an insight into the face off that will be showcased between the giant hornet and the Japanese bee. These honey bees have developed a way of subduing a giant hornet by mass-cooking it at a precise temperature.

Then there is the battle between jewel wasp and the cockroach. This Asian wasp has been described as a killer brain surgeon and devoted Mum.  She can turn the cockroach into a zombie, then use it as a nursery to feed her young on the larvae. Nasty! Three New Zealand bugs will also take pride of place in the exhibition, including the mighty Weta. Well, it had too, given the workshop behind the mastery! Bug Lab will blend incredible craft from the wizards at Weta Workshop with high-impact interactive learning, to produce an indelible experience for all ages.

 Some of the world’s best bio-inspiration efforts feature in Bug Lab. Drones based on insect flight, life-saving medicine made from venom and new body parts printed from spider silk.  Throughout the exhibition, bugs tell humans about their world and their stories are brought to life on a monumental scale. The exhibition elements too 40,000 hours to create, over 6 months.

See it before the rest of the world does! Premiering in Wellington and on until April, Bug lab will then go global, with international exhibition interest already unfolding from Australia, the USA and Asia. Ticket prices are just $15 for adults and $5 for children, with concession and family tickets also available. Tickets are on sale now.  www.tepapa.co.nz

Weta Workshop’s Sir Richard Taylor also worked on Gallipoli: The scale of our war. The crowds continue to swoon over the ground-breaking national exhibition, to mark the centenary of the First World War, and the thousands of New Zealanders who fought for King and Country. If you haven’t seen the exhibition yet, be sure to immerse yourself in its poignant majesty, after taking in Bug Lab. The poppy reflection pond, where you can pen your private thoughts, is a fittingly emotional climax to this stirring exhibition, which runs until Armistice Day, 2018.

No matter when you visit Wellington, there’s always a new and trending player on the culinary scene to check out. Introducing Noble Rot, an edgy and inventive venue that opened six months ago. Wellington’s newest wine bar was established by an incredibly talented group of sommeliers and restaurateurs, eager to imbue the Capital with a specialist wine bar. With the wonderful wine regions of Marlborough and Wairarapa sandwiching Wellington, why not! 

The owners are no strangers to the city’s dining scene:  Jean Paul Henderson and Amy Gillies head up Brooklyn's Salty Pidgin, while Josh Pointon co-owns Miramar's Cafe Polo, and the effervescent Maciej Zimny was most recently the manager of Hippopotamus Restaurant, and crowned the 2015 Sommelier of the Year. You’ll find Noble Rot in Swan Lane, jutting off Cuba Street, in the space formerly occupied by Duke Carvell’s.

Firmly focused on using locally sourced seasonal produce, it’s all about shared food and small plates, in addition to raw bar awash with oh-so fresh seafood and charcuterie to pair with every drop. The extensive wine list understandably showcases New Zealand product, with a special selection of European wines.  The menu is designed to “encourage, educate and have fun with wine”, says Maciej, who greeted me when I arrived for a special winemaker’s dinner. I had lucked out, as I was joining fellow diners for a highly sociable and informal evening noshing and sipping The Elder Pinot Menu.

This was the first such dinner Noble Rot had staged and it was a sell-out. The Elder is a delightful little Martinborough winery, producing 500 cases in a good year. 80% of their product is Pinot Noir, the rest Pinot Gris. Focused on high-end dining, they planted their first vines in 1997. You can purchase direct at www.theelderpinot.co.nz It was so enriching to engage with Nigel Elder, his wife and their winemaker, Paul Mason, as they joined us for the five course degustation menu, superbly matched with their utterly agreeable wines.

The menu spanned a tantalising array of flavours, from Cured Ora King Salmon with Verjuice, Apple and Coastal Herbs to Wild Deer with Beetroot, Cherry, Cocoa and Swiss Chard. The grand finale was a melt-in-your-mouth desert of Strawberries & Cream with Raspberries, Rose and Meringue, paired with the truly sensational The Elder Rose 2016. Serving lunch and dinner, Noble Rot is understandably creating a lot of buzz. Make a date with this heart-stealer in Swan Lane. www.noblerot.co.nz

Where to stay? Check in to the property that was ingeniously shifted to clear the decks for Te Papa, the Museum Art Hotel. It continues to capture the world’s imagination for its stirring collection of artworks, opulent décor, distinctively designed guestrooms, celebrated hospitality and award-winning cuisine at Hippopotamus restaurant. This beloved hotel will soon become the first QT branded property in New Zealand, being renamed QT Museum Wellington in 2017. www.museumhotel.co.nz

The capital’s summer events programme is chocca-bloc with a rolling schedule of activities and entertainment. Start laying out plans for a bumper break in Wellington this summer. www.wellingtonnz.com

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s Travel Correspondent on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.