Gateway to Antarctica: Ōtautahi Christchurch

18/08/2026

🐧 Antarctica… without the freezing toes!

Ready for an Antarctic adventure? This August, you can explore Antarctica without even putting on a puffer jacket!

Two awesome virtual reality (VR) experiences are coming to the International Antarctic Centre, giving kids and families the chance to step into the world of Antarctic explorers.

Step inside Scott's Discovery Hut VR, thanks to Antarctic Heritage Trust, you'll come across penguins, huskies and so much more!

You can also explore A Frozen Night VR, taking you to historic Base E on Stonington Island and into the world of Antarctic dog sledging adventures.

📍 International Antarctic Centre, 38 Orchard Road
📅 26 & 27 August
⏰ 10:30am–3:30pm
🎟️ FREE with entry to the International Antarctic Centre
⏱️ 30 minutes | Ages 11+

When you arrive, the friendly front desk team will give you a ticket and allocated time for your VR adventure.

Who’s ready to explore Antarctica from Ōtautahi Christchurch?

14/08/2026

Still time to catch Southward 🎨🐧thanks to Heritage Expeditions and The Central Art Gallery.

If you missed the opening night, Southward is still on display at The Central Art Gallery until 19 September.

The exhibition features work by artists inspired by New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands through their travels with Heritage Expeditions, celebrating the region's remarkable landscapes, wildlife and conservation stories. Proceeds support the Wandering Albatross Research Programme.

Find out more and view the collection at https://thecentral.co.nz/exhibitions/southward/overview/

We are delighted to announce the opening night of Southward, an exciting new exhibition featuring the works of some of the artists who have been inspired by New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands during their travels with us, and our debut collaboration with The Central Art Gallery.

We would love for you to join us on this special evening celebrating art, exploration, conservation and the extraordinary landscapes of the Subantarctic Islands, all in support of the Wandering Albatross Research Programme.

Please RSVP [email protected] if you can make it.

Can’t make opening night? Southward will be on display until 19 September 2026, with works also available to view online at https://thecentral.co.nz/

13/08/2026

What’s your Antarctic connection? 🧊🐧

You don’t need to have been to Antarctica to have a story.

Maybe you worked with an Antarctic programme. Maybe a family member headed south. Perhaps you supported a flight, fixed equipment, hosted a crew, studied Antarctic science — or Antarctica has simply found its way into your life somehow.

Christchurch artist and photographer Rewa Rendall is collecting 209 Antarctic Connections — stories from people whose lives have been touched by Antarctica.

And we’d love Christchurch residents to be part of it.

Your story can be big, small, historic, funny, unexpected or deeply personal. Together, they’ll help tell the story of what being an Antarctic Gateway city really means — through the people who make that connection real.

📝 Add your Antarctic connection: https://rewarendall.com/209

Know someone with a great Antarctic story? Tag them or send this their way. 👇

12/08/2026

📣 It’s official – Antarctic science is coming to Ōtautahi Christchurch! ❄️🔬

We’re excited to welcome the New Zealand Antarctic Science Conference to our Antarctic Gateway city from 28 June – 2 July 2027.

Hosted by the University of Canterbury, the conference will bring together New Zealand’s Antarctic science community to share research, ideas and the latest insights from the ice.

We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Ōtautahi. 🐧❄️

Save the date – more details to come!

10/08/2026

🦐 Small but mighty: meet Antarctic krill.

Tomorrow is World Krill Day, celebrating one of the smallest – and most important – creatures in the Southern Ocean.

Krill might only be a few centimetres long, but they punch well above their weight.

🐧 Penguins eat them.
🐋 Whales eat them.
🦭 Seals eat them.
🐦 Seabirds eat them.

And many other Antarctic animals rely on the animals that eat krill.

These tiny crustaceans are a vital part of the Southern Ocean food web – and they also help move carbon deeper into the ocean.

So this World Krill Day – 11 August – we’re giving a shout-out to one of Antarctica’s tiniest powerhouses.

Small creature. Huge role. 🦐🌏

03/08/2026

How do you count emperor penguins in the middle of an Antarctic winter... when it's dark 24 hours a day? 🐧❄️

The answer is from space.

University of Canterbury researchers are using satellite technology to identify individual emperor penguins, helping build a more accurate picture of population numbers while the colony is at its hardest to study.

An incredible example of Kiwi science helping us better understand Antarctica. 👏

Read more below ⬇️

27/07/2026

Ever wondered what research is happening in Antarctica? 🧊🔬

The Antarctic Science Platform has secured funding for the next six years to investigate how Antarctica influences the rest of the world – and what a warming climate means for our future.

They've just launched brand-new webpages showcasing the incredible science underway, from ice sheets and oceans to ecosystems and climate.

Take a look and discover the research helping us better understand our changing planet. 🌏

24/07/2026

Over two decades of extraordinary conservation have helped preserve one of Antarctica's most iconic historic sites – Scott's Terra Nova hut at Cape Evans.
If you're fascinated by Antarctic history and heritage, this new podcast series is well worth a listen. 👇

14/07/2026

🎙️ New podcast alert!

Step aboard the 2025 Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ and journey to the Ross Sea, Antarctica with 77 Degrees South – a new six-part podcast from Antarctic Heritage Trust.

Follow the team's mission to return a precious taonga, explore the historic huts of Scott and Shackleton, and discover what it means to become the next generation of kaitiaki for Antarctica's unique heritage.

❄️ Adventure
🏛️ History
🌏 Conservation
🎧 Six episodes available now

👉 https://nzaht.org/77-degrees-south-podcast/

77 Degrees South Podcast follows a team of young explorers to the the historic huts of Scott and Shackleton.

20/06/2026

Well that was a lot of fun this morning at New Brighton!
A great turn out and some great costumes.
A tropical water temp of 11 degrees.
Thanks for having us New Zealand Antarctic Society 😁