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Sight Airport, Christchurch

International Antarctic Centre

A sight in Airport, Christchurch, pricey ($$$) and worth about 2.5 hours. Best time to go: Arrival day.

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International Antarctic Centre in Airport, Christchurch
Photo: Tzuhsun Hsu · CC BY-SA 2.0 · license

Why go

Antarctic exhibits with a storm room, blue penguins and Hägglund rides, near the airport.

It is one of 9 curated places we feature in Christchurch, alongside 2 activities, 2 places to eat and 2 sights. The closest of our other picks is Christchurch Botanic Gardens, 7.7 km away as the crow flies.

Type
Sight · Culture
Neighborhood
Airport
Price
$$$
Time needed
2.5 hr
Best time
Arrival day

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Christchurch, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Christchurch Botanic Gardens

    Riverside gardens in Hagley Park with rose gardens and conservatories.

    Outdoors · 7.7 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

    Free gallery with New Zealand and Māori art in a glass-fronted building.

    Sight · 8.3 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Punting on the Avon

    Flat-bottom punt ride on the Avon River past the gardens, poled by a guide.

    Activity · 8.3 km straight-line
  4. 4
    Riverside Market

    Indoor food market by the Avon with produce stalls, eateries and bars.

    Food · 8.6 km straight-line
  5. 5
    C1 Espresso

    Café in the old High Street post office that delivers sliders by pneumatic tube.

    Food · 9.2 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Transitional Cathedral

    Shigeru Ban's 'Cardboard Cathedral', built after the 2011 quake.

    Sight · 9.2 km straight-line

On these curated routes

International Antarctic Centre is a stop on our South Island Alps & Fiords route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Christchurch

International Antarctic Centre is our only sight pick in Christchurch; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Christchurch guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Christchurch run from 10°C in July to 24°C in January; June is usually the wettest month. For International Antarctic Centre itself, we suggest: Arrival day.

Modelled monthly averages for Christchurch from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Christchurch weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for International Antarctic Centre, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Corner Roy Place and, Orchard Road, Christchurch Airport, Christchurch 8052, New Zealand
Coordinates
-43.48884, 172.54654
Destination
Christchurch, New Zealand

International Antarctic Centre: quick answers

How much time do you need at International Antarctic Centre?

Plan on about 2.5 hours at International Antarctic Centre. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit International Antarctic Centre?

Our pick: Arrival day. Insider tip: Good stop on arrival or departure day.

Where is International Antarctic Centre?

International Antarctic Centre is at Corner Roy Place and, Orchard Road, Christchurch Airport, Christchurch 8052, New Zealand. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include International Antarctic Centre?

International Antarctic Centre appears on South Island Alps & Fiords, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add International Antarctic Centre to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Christchurch.

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Also in Christchurch

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.