Royal Albatross Centre marketing manager Sophie Barker said the 8.30am event would enable visitors to test the size of their own outstretched arms against the 3m wing span of an adult albatross.
"Come along and measure your wingspan," she said.
She also invited people to take a photo with an albatross at the centre’s "Mates for Life" photo booth.
Some participants in the hour-long event could win albatross badges or an albatross package, including a free albatross tour and a fluffy albatross toy.
"Dunedin is the first place in the world to wake up to the World Albatross Day," she said.
This was also the "perfect place to start the worldwide celebration of albatross awareness and advocacy", she added.
With the day’s activities, the albatross centre aimed to "raise the profile of the albatross and the threats they face", she said.
Dunedin was New Zealand’s wildlife capital and every Dunedin person should be an albatross ambassador and wildlife advocate, she said.
The Department of Conservation said
New Zealand was the world’s albatross capital.
Seventeen albatross species were found across New Zealand waters and territories, and 11 species of albatross bred here.
Around the world, many populations of albatross continued to decline, with about 80% of albatross species threatened.
Doc was actively involved in albatross research as an important part of their conservation.
