Canterbury Museum

The Museum is a major example of architect Benjamin Mountfort’s ability to adapt the Gothic style, look out for the splendid stone carvings on the capitals. Opened in 1870, the Museum had Julius von Haast (1822-1887), the former Provincial Geologist,as its first director. "It was his exchanges of native bird skins, Maori artefacts and moa bones for other objects with overseas museums that allowed Canterbury to rapidly build up an impressive collection."

So Canterbury now has a fine regional museum covering Canterbury's history, archaeology, natural and Maori history, and including a section celebrating Christchurch's relationship with Antarctica. A Discovery Centre caters for 3 - 13 year olds.

Through an association with Rewi Alley, a New Zealander who lived in China for many years and was connected to the Chinese leadership, nearly 1400 Chinese artifacts form New Zealand's largest collection ofChinese Art. The Press explains how this came to be, the involvement of Musem Director Roger Duff, and the Moa Skeletons that ended up in China.

Audio Guides will tell you more about this important Canterbury Institution.

Image Credit: Moa Skeletons in Canterbury Museum Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 589-76

CHRISTCHURCH REBUILD TOUR