Kaikoura Museum

An award-winning new museum housed in a building deliberately designed like the town's ubiquitous cray-pots, by architect Rick Pearson. Packed with exhibits and displays related to the history of the area which in human terms dates back to moa hunting and includes classic Maori settlements, whalers, farmers and fishermen.

The museum itself is testament to the Kaikoura spirit, the old museum being a basic affair they had long since outgrown, the historical society planned and fundraised for their cray-pot premises and opened on their planned open-day in 2016, despite most of the town being flattened a week earlier by a 7.8 earthquake. Not only did the building withstand the shake and open on time, it was nominated for several architecture awards and won one.

Their exhibitions include one about earthquake survival. See their equally cool website.