Stand on Worcester Boulevard and look up: the Gothic Revival stone of the Arts Centre rises above you, and a few minutes' walk away the Avon River / Ōtākaro curves past the Botanic Gardens. Christchurch is a city you can cover on foot in its central grid, with a rebuilt centre, a river running through it and a strong sense of its own history.
It suits travellers who like gardens, galleries and heritage buildings, and who are interested in how a city rebuilds after a major earthquake. The city is flat apart from the Port Hills, so walking and cycling between the central sights is straightforward.
This guide covers the central sights and a few further out, then sets out how to string the best of them together if you only have one day.
Top things to do in Christchurch
1. Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Thirty hectares of exotic and indigenous plants and trees, wrapped in a loop of the Avon River / Ōtākaro and linking to Hagley Park. This is the green heart of the city and the easiest place to spend a slow half-day.
Gates open at 7AM until one hour before sunset, and the conservatories are open 10:15AM–4PM. The information centre keeps seasonal hours, so check before you go. Entry is free, and the car park entrance is opposite Armagh St.
2. Arts Centre
The Gothic Revival stonework of the former University campus on Worcester Blvd, damaged in the 22 February 2011 earthquake and largely reconstructed by late 2022, with two buildings still to be restored. You can appreciate the buildings from Worcester Blvd and Hereford St, or from the internal courtyard.
Four art galleries, the Great Hall and its courtyard, and Rutherford's Den are open, and there is a cinema, Lumière Cinemas, showing art-house films. Entry to the centre is free; Rutherford's Den requests a donation. If you want to see spaces not open to the public, join the 90-minute guided walk, Wednesday to Sunday, $30 per adult and $15 per child aged 12–18.
3. Christchurch Art Gallery
On Worcester Blvd at Montreal St, one block east of the Botanic Gardens, this is the largest gallery in the South Island, with over 5000 items and visiting exhibitions. It reopened in December 2015 after five years as a Civil Defence Centre and then repairs.
Open Thursday to Tuesday 10AM–5PM and Wednesday 10AM–9PM. Entry is usually free. You can store your suitcase at reception, which makes it a good morning stop if you are leaving in the afternoon.
4. Canterbury Museum
On Rolleston Ave at the end of Worcester Blvd, adjoining the Botanic Gardens, with colonial, Māori and natural history sections, an Antarctic exploration display and visiting exhibitions. The main building is closed until mid-2029 for rebuilding.
A small selection of exhibits is on show in the CoCA gallery at 66 Gloucester Street, daily 9AM–5PM, near the Art Gallery. Entry is free.
5. Cardboard Cathedral
On Hereford St in the Central City, designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and completed in August 2013 as the transitional Anglican cathedral after ChristChurch Cathedral was damaged in 2011. It stands on the site of St Johns church, which was demolished after severe quake damage.
Because the original cathedral's repair remains unfinished, this building continues to serve the congregation. It is a short walk from the central grid and pairs naturally with the other Hereford St sights.
6. ChristChurch Cathedral and Cathedral Square
The Gothic Revival cathedral consecrated in 1881 as the seat of the Christchurch Anglican diocese, in Cathedral Square in the Central City. It was damaged in the 2011 earthquakes and sat largely untouched for years while debate continued over its future.
Removal of rubble began in late 2018 and rebuilding work is expected to take ten years, so expect scaffolding rather than a finished interior. It is still worth walking through the square to see the building at the centre of the city's identity.
7. Quake City
On Durham St N near Tram Stop 16, this exhibition is coordinated by Canterbury Museum and covers earthquakes in Christchurch, particularly those of 2010–11. It gives context to the damaged and rebuilt buildings you will see around the centre.
Open daily 10AM–5PM. Adult admission is $20 and children under 16 are free.
8. Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial
Dedicated to those who died or were injured in the 22 February 2011 earthquake, this memorial sits beside the Avon River / Ōtākaro, immediately downstream from Montreal St and upstream from Rhododendron Island.
It is a quiet stop on a river walk and combines well with the central city sights nearby. Allow a few minutes rather than a scheduled visit.
9. Site of Canterbury Television building
The site of the CTV building, where 115 people died, was planted as a memorial garden in 2018. It is one of the earthquake-related sites visitors can reach on their own.
Approach it as a place of remembrance rather than a conventional attraction, and combine it with the other earthquake tourism sites in the centre.
10. Bridge of Remembrance
A memorial to those lost in World War I and subsequent conflicts, on Cashel St. A memorial arch was added to an existing bridge over the River Avon in 1923–24; the arch was damaged in the 2011 quake and reopened after repairs on Anzac Day 2016.
The bridge is open at all times to walk across, though it has been closed to vehicles since 1976. It is a natural point to cross the river while moving between the central sights.
11. St Michael and All Angels Church
A wooden Anglican church on Oxford Terrace dating from 1872, which suffered only minor quake damage and was closed for three months. It has an unusual separate bell tower.
Services are Sunday 8AM, 10AM and 7PM, and Monday to Friday 9AM; viewing is possible at other times. Check before visiting if you want to see inside.
12. Centre of Contemporary Art (Toi Moroki, CoCA)
On Gloucester Street, showing contemporary art by New Zealand artists. It is also where a small selection of Canterbury Museum exhibits is displayed while the museum building is closed.
Open 9AM–5PM daily. Its central location makes it easy to fold into a walk between the Art Gallery and the Arts Centre.
13. Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities
At 3 Hereford St in the Arts Centre, with entry off the South Quadrangle, this is a collection of artefacts from Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Near Eastern cultures. It is a compact stop that fits neatly into a visit to the Arts Centre.
Open Wednesday to Sunday 11AM–3PM. Entry is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per adult.
14. International Antarctic Centre
At 38 Orchard Rd by Christchurch Airport, this is an Antarctic experience with simulated polar weather, a Hagglund all-terrain vehicle ride, penguins, exhibits about Antarctic science missions, a café and a gift shop. It reflects the city's long role as an Antarctic gateway.
Open daily 9AM–7PM from 1 October to 30 April, and 9AM–5:30PM from 1 May to 30 September. Admission is $55, $36 for children; unlimited Hagglund rides all day are $20, and a Penguin Backstage Pass is $20, $15 for children. Take the Purple or #29 bus from Central Station platform C.
15. Air Force Museum
At 45 Harvard Ave in Wigram, opened in 1987 before the closure of the Christchurch RNZAF base. It has full-size replicas of fighting planes and dramatises the history of New Zealand's Air Force from World War I to Vietnam and beyond.
Open daily 10AM–5PM and free to enter. Take the Yellow or #80 bus from Central Station platform C.
16. Ferrymead Heritage Park
A recreated Edwardian township and museum at Ferrymead Park Dr, with horse and carriage rides daily, tram rides on weekends and school or public holidays, and train rides on the first and third Sunday. Not all attractions run at all times because the historical societies managing the park are voluntary.
Open 10AM–4:30PM daily, and special events are often held. Admission depends on whether trams or trains are operating and includes unlimited rides if available: on train and tram days, adult $30, student $25, child $15; on tram-only days, adult $20, student $15, child $10. Take the Purple bus east to Ferrymead, then a 20-minute walk or change to the #535 bus.
17. Riccarton Bush
The last remaining forest remnant on the Canterbury Plains, within the city. The circular track passes under tall kahikatea trees, with a diversity of small trees, shrubs, climbers and ferns, making it an easy way to experience native forest if your time in New Zealand is limited.
Christchurch's oldest house, Dean's Cottage, built in 1843, is adjacent. Combine the walk with a look at the cottage.
18. Orana Wildlife Park
On McLeans Island Rd, about a 10-minute drive west of the airport, this is New Zealand's largest wildlife sanctuary and conservation project, featuring endangered animals from around the world. The design minimises fences and cages in favour of natural boundaries and habitats.
Open daily 10AM–5PM with last entrance at 4:30PM. Adult admission is $34.50 and child $9.50. The Lion Encounter is limited to 20 tickets per day and participants must be above 1.4 metres in height.
19. Yaldhurst Museum
On Main West Rd near the airport, first right past the Yaldhurst Hotel, this is mostly interesting for its collection of over 150 classic and vintage vehicles. It has been closed since Covid and is estimated to reopen in 2025.
When open, hours are daily 10AM–5PM, or 5–9PM by arrangement for groups of 10 or more. Admission is $20 adult and $5 child. Check before travelling out, given the closure.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens when the gates open at 7AM, walking the loop of the Avon River / Ōtākaro and looking into the conservatories when they open at 10:15AM. Walk out past the adjoining Canterbury Museum building on Rolleston Ave, then along Worcester Blvd to the Christchurch Art Gallery, open from 10AM.
Afternoon: Continue along Worcester Blvd to the Arts Centre for the Gothic Revival stonework, the galleries and the courtyard, then walk to the Centre of Contemporary Art on Gloucester Street and the Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities in the Arts Centre's South Quadrangle. Head to Cathedral Square to see ChristChurch Cathedral and the Cardboard Cathedral on Hereford St, then cross the Bridge of Remembrance on Cashel St.
Evening: Finish at Quake City on Durham St N, open until 5PM, then walk the short stretch of the Avon River / Ōtākaro to the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial and the Site of Canterbury Television building before dinner in the central city.
Frequently asked questions
Is the central city walkable?
Yes. Christchurch is relatively flat, and the Botanic Gardens, Art Gallery, Arts Centre, Cathedral Square and the river memorials are all within a walk of each other. The airport sights, Ferrymead Heritage Park and Orana Wildlife Park need a bus or a drive.
What can I see while Canterbury Museum is closed?
The main museum building is closed until mid-2029 for rebuilding, but a small selection of exhibits is on show in the CoCA gallery at 66 Gloucester Street, daily 9AM–5PM, near the Art Gallery.
Can I visit ChristChurch Cathedral?
The cathedral in Cathedral Square was damaged in the 2011 earthquakes and rebuilding work is expected to take ten years, so you should expect to see it under repair. The Cardboard Cathedral on Hereford St serves as the transitional Anglican cathedral.
How do I get to the International Antarctic Centre?
Take the Purple or #29 bus from Central Station platform C to Christchurch Airport, where the centre is on Orchard Rd. It is open daily, with longer hours from October to April.
Pick your dates, decide whether you are staying central or near the airport, and start building your Christchurch itinerary around the river, the gardens and the rebuilt centre.