Canterbury Museum

09/09/2026

Legendary British Prime Minister Clement Attlee only spent seven hours in Christchurch, but he packed a lot in.

When he visited Christchurch on 14 September 1954, just three years after leaving office, he visited relatives, held a press conference, toured the Christchurch suburbs, drove the Summit Road and attended two civic events. He also praised New Zealand’s policy record in a speech to a packed Civic Theatre on Manchester Street.

“You were always pioneering new things of social promise and I always hoped that one day we would catch up with you. I don’t know whether we have.”

After observing him all day, ‘The Press’ newspaper passed judgement on the 71-year-old statesman.

“His manner was that of a self-effacing man who would have been happier in his library smoking his pipe than being feted as a world figure.”

New Zealand politician Walter Nash had a pithier description.

“A bloke that treats everybody the same.”

Image: Clement Attlee in the United Service Hotel with Cathedral Square behind him on 14 September 1954. Canterbury Museum 1994.198.431

04/09/2026

The Ravenscar House Museum free weekend starts on Saturday!

One of Christchurch’s finest art treasures will be free to enjoy on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September 2026.

Described by Stuff Travel as “one of Christchurch's most unexpected treasures”, this stunning house museum features a unique collection of Kiwi art displayed in an architectural gem.

Don’t miss out!

Read more: www.ravenscarhouse.com/

03/09/2026

Wood’s Mill was built to last. 💪🌳🧱

The Addington industrial building was designed to withstand the weight and vibration of milling machinery. It has triple-brick exterior walls, stone window details and central columns made of Australian ironwood, one of the hardest woods in the world. Each column was carved by hand from a single tree.

This may be why Wood’s Mill, completed in 1891 and extended in 1896, still stands today. It was used to grind wheat into flour from the 1890s until the mill closed in 1970. On its final day of operation, the stop button was pressed for the last time by Jeremy Wood, the great-grandson of mill founder William Derisley Wood.

After the closure, the old mill was put to many uses. Grand plans in the late 1980s to convert the building into a film and television studio eventually fell through. The building, seen here in 1985, is now home to a mix of offices and apartments.

Do you have memories of this grand old building? Ever worked there? Share your memories below. 👇

This photo was taken by former Museum Pictorial History Curator Joan Woodward – an avid photographer who captured many fabulous images of street life in 1980s Christchurch. Over the next few months, we will be celebrating Joan’s work and bringing back many precious memories for Christchurch people. Stay tuned for more photos of bygone Christchurch lovingly captured by Joan.

Image: Wood’s Mill in 1985. Canterbury Museum 1997.258.329

Canterbury Museum’s Rolleston Avenue building is closed for redevelopment. You can visit us at the Canterbury Museum Pop-Up at 66 Gloucester Street in central Christchurch.

02/09/2026

Christchurch-born Ivan Mauger dominated speedway racing for 20 years. On this day in 1979, he sealed his legendary status by winning his sixth World Individual Speedway Championship.
In this video from 2020, Raye Mauger talks about the life and career of her husband of 60 years. Ivan was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on 4 October 1939 and went on to become the world's greatest speedway rider. He remains the only man to win three consecutive individual world titles.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more cool stories from the Museum.

Raye Mauger, speedway champion Ivan Mauger's wife of 60 years, talk...

01/09/2026

Get ready for the Ravenscar House Museum free weekend!
One of Christchurch’s finest art attractions will be free to enjoy on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September 2026.
Read more: www.ravenscarhouse.com/

31/08/2026

Get ready for the Ravenscar House Museum free weekend!

One of Christchurch’s finest art attractions will be free to enjoy on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September 2026.

Described by Stuff Travel as “one of Christchurch's most unexpected treasures”, this stunning house museum features a unique collection of Kiwi art displayed in an architectural gem.

Read more: www.ravenscarhouse.com/

28/08/2026

The Museum redevelopment is progressing well. As you can see from this image from our live we**am, the inner basement floor for the new building is largely complete and there are even walls going up in the new basement. The next major milestone will be when steel arrives on site and the new building starts to emerge above ground.

You can keep up to date on the redevelopment with our live we**am here:

www.canterburymuseum.com/redevelopment

27/08/2026

Tucked down an alleyway off Hereford Street was the Midcity Cinema. 🎬🍿

It opened on 7 April 1982 with a premiere attended by Hollywood actor David Carradine, star of the TV show ‘Kung Fu’ and the ‘Kill Bill’ movies. The cinema was located down Westpac Lane, to the left of the curved glass building, designed by Warren and Mahoney, in the centre of the photo. If you look closely, you can just see the Midcity sign directing punters to the right place. The cinema closed around 2000 and it was taken over by the PEETO language school, who operated there until it was demolished after the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.

But part of the building still remains. The stone stairs at the back of the building still stand on Westpac Lane and have become a quirky local landmark known as the Stairs to Nowhere.

Do you have any memories of the Midcity or PEETO? Share them below. 👇



Canterbury Museum’s Rolleston Avenue building is closed for redevelopment. You can visit us at the Canterbury Museum Pop-Up at 66 Gloucester Street in central Christchurch.

25/08/2026

This is how you did Antarctic science in the 1980s.

It took big computers with reel-to-reel tapes spinning around, large antennae anchored down by frozen dishwater and a small green hut in Arrival Heights on Ross Island near Scott Base.

University of Canterbury atmospheric physicist, Dr Andre von Biel, helped set up this research project in the late 1970s and early 80s. It was designed to study the ionosphere above Antarctica.

Von Biel told ‘The Press’ newspaper in December 1980 that his summers in Antarctica were spent living in a cramped hut.

“The condensation used to accumulate on the bolts above my head, turn into icicles, then drip on my nose in the morning. Everything liquid froze. When you dropped an egg. you waited 10 minutes, then you could kick it off the floor.”

Images:

Left: Andre von Biel at Arrival Heights in the 1980-81 season. ©Antarctica New Zealand Pictorial Collection [ANZSC1060.8] [1980] CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 NZ

Computers at the Arrival Heights Laboratory in Antarctica. Canterbury Museum 2019.11.2114 and 2116

21/08/2026

Noah’s Hotel was a favourite stay for celebrities and royals visiting Christchurch. Prince Charles and Princess Diana stayed there in 1983, and Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. The Beach Boys, Elton John, The Bay City Rollers and David Bowie all stayed there while performing in Christchurch. As you can see from these photos of the hotel’s Waitangi Room restaurant, it was once the height of glamour. Before it became a celeb hangout, the hotel was built for Commonwealth Games athletes in 1974 and opened as Noah’s in 1975. It later became the Rydges Hotel before sitting empty for many years following the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. The hotel is now being completely refurbished and will reopen next year as Sheraton Christchurch.

Do you have memories of Noah’s Hotel? Have you ever met anyone famous there? Were you among the many people who greeted Diana there in 1983? Post your memories below.