Entertainment

Christchurch’s founders set the scene 150 years ago for today’s thriving art and culture scene when they planned a central cultural precinct providing for education, art, science, government, religion, history and recreation - all within an area of less than one square kilometre. Canterbury Museum, at the head of the cultural precinct, holds almost two million items of regional, national and international significance. The collection covers everything from artefacts of Canterbury's first people – the moa hunter Māori - to European settlers' cultural and economic development, family and local history. The Arts Centre of Christchurch - on the old University of Canterbury site - is one of New Zealand’s most significant historic and cultural attractions. The centre comes alive at weekends with an arts and craft market, live entertainment, and international food stalls. Christchurch Art Gallery, Te Puna o Waiwhetu, is an impressive modern building in the cultural precinct, and has art collections, educational facilities and a sculpture garden. Nearby attractions include the Centre of Contemporary Art, the Botanic Gardens and iconic Christchurch Cathedral - all easily accessed on foot or by historic tram.

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