Quake City is a museum at 299 Durham Street North in Christchurch’s central city, dedicated to the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Its displays bring together recovered objects, building materials, photographs, videos and interactive exhibits to explain both the earthquakes and their impact on local people. Survivor accounts give the science a human context, while exhibits on rescue work and rebuilding show how the community responded. It is a compact visit, and a useful stop early in your trip if you want to understand the changes you’ll see around Christchurch.
The Canterbury earthquakes
Quake City examines the earthquakes that struck Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region in September 2010 and February 2011. The exhibition also puts those events in the context of the area’s history of earthquakes, helping explain why the city was so badly affected.
Interactive displays describe what happens before, during and after an earthquake. The exhibits also cover liquefaction, when shaking causes waterlogged ground to behave like a liquid and rise to the surface. This science helps make sense of damage to streets and buildings, and of the engineering questions that followed.
Objects and personal accounts
Photographs, footage and recovered building materials show the physical effects of the quakes. Among the objects associated with the events are the fallen spire of Christchurch Cathedral, part of its rose window, a bell from the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and buckled steel rods from the Grand Chancellor Hotel. Railway station clocks that stopped during the earthquakes are also on display.
Video accounts bring the experiences of people who lived through the quakes into the exhibition. Some describe being caught in damaged buildings; other stories focus on people who helped with rescue efforts. The accounts sit alongside the objects and explanations, connecting the scale of the damage with individual experiences.
Rescue and rebuilding
The exhibition also recognises the emergency responders, rescue crews and volunteers who helped after the earthquakes. Its focus includes the losses and disruption, as well as the work of local people and others who came to assist.
Displays about recovery provide a way to understand how the earthquakes changed Christchurch and how rebuilding has shaped the city since. Quake City is coordinated by Canterbury Museum, and its combination of scientific explanations, recovered objects and first-person accounts makes it relevant to adults and children. Interactive sections add a hands-on element, though the subject matter is serious.
FAQ
Where is Quake City?
It is at 299 Durham Street North in Christchurch’s central city.
How long does a visit take?
Plan for about 30 to 60 minutes. You can spend longer reading the displays and watching the videos.
Do I need to book tickets in advance?
Advance ticket booking is recommended.
What can you see at Quake City?
The museum has interactive exhibits, earthquake science displays, survivor videos, photographs and recovered objects, including parts of Christchurch Cathedral.
