This museum is renown for its excellent educational presentations excelling in early Maori settlements, Antarctic exploration, nature, local settlement, nature and environmental management.
 

Pre European Maori


White Herrons

Coasts

Mao Hunting

Egyptian Mummy

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History
The museum was established in the 1860s by Julius von Haast the Canterbury geologist who gathered and traded keenly sought moa bones & skeletons with the museums world wide making this a leader of its time.   The museum now offers superb presentations relating to life styles of the past. more>

Antarctica
This has magnificent relics and displays of early exploration, achievements, equipment used by- Amundsen, Scott, Shackleton, Hillary and others.  The dioramas exquisitely display amazing animals and we can hear the calls of whales. more>

Maori Culture
A large area provides us with one of the best illustrations of pre- European Maori culture, using excellent dioramas of buildings, food, clothing, tools, settlement planning, transport and more. more>  

Transport
Lets us see some of the progression of local systems from the old "penny farthing" bicycle.  Other museums in Christchurch cover transport more thoroughly for the enthusiasts.  more>

Conservation
This Section shows us with graphic realism and models the affects of man's impact on nature including rivers, coasts, soils and air quality etc. more>.

Native Bird Section
Dioramas display the birds of New Zealand, some rare and others quite common. See also the world's largest bird ever, the giant Moa (recently extinct). more>

Geography Sections
Displays include meteorites, earthquakes, volcanoes, geology, giant world relief globe, rivers, weather and coasts.

Victorian Culture Section
Witness fashion displays, household equipment, photos, and a reconstructed 1870's inner city street.

Egypt section
Encounter an exceptional Egyptian mummy and see the x-ray photo of its contents.

Book and Gift shop
Find excellent resource material.