The Salamander Gallery is a modern exhibition center displaying works by New Zealand and Pacific artists. Its wide collection of paintings, prints, drawings, and sculptures includes such artists as Barbara Graham, Tracey Williams, Stanley Palmer, Kim Pieters, Catherine Macdonald, Trevor Askin, and many others. The gallery is situated in the Christchurch Art Center, down Worcester Boulevard from Cathedral Square.

This must see museum displays all the natural, cultural and historic heritage of the city and the region. There is a large collection of stuffed birds on the first floor where you can see the Kiwi and the extinct Moa. There's also a Maori department that preserves the artifacts of these ancient people. The Antarctica department will give you a fascinating glimpse of this remote part of the world. Among many other collections you can see a great set of 19th Century fashion.

Ernest Rutherford is a world-known New Zealand scientist who is considered to be a father of nuclear physics. Rutherford's Den occupies a part of Christchurch Arts Center in an exciting Gothic revival style edifice. Learn all about the history of scientific progress here and see how a master studied, lived and worked before he realized his great achievements.

This large art complex boasts nine exhibition halls. Opened in 2003, it's situated in a modern building in the heart of Christchurch. It houses the largest public art collection on New Zealand's south island and is one of the most significant collections in the whole country. Paintings, drawings, print, photographs, glass, and metal works by New Zealand's most distinguished artists are all on display here.

Open for more than 10 years, the Arthouse has been steadily gaining influence over New Zealand's contemporary art scene. This centrally located gallery presents outstanding works by about 30 established and emerging artists including paintings, sculptures, cast glass, and ceramics.

Founded in 1880, the Centre of Contemporary Art presents about 60 art exhibitions featuring hundreds of New Zealand artists every year. The paintings, photography, printmaking, and design shown here are notable for their top quality. The center also organizes young artists’ exhibitions and encourages the development of art in the country.

Not far from the Christchurch Town Hall, in another historic building, you will find Dobson Bashford Gallery of contemporary fine art. This gallery features regularly rotating exhibitions of both young and distinguished artists from New Zealand and Australia, including Sally Burton, Karl Maughan, Charlotte Thodey, Piera McArthur, and Paul Dibble.

The Antique Print Gallery is the place to go to for original antique maps and prints that are up to three centuries old. The regional, national and international maps are well worth seeing, as are the prints of historic architecture projects, natural history and scenic New Zealand. There's also a great collection of old and rare books.

While it may sound like a science museum, the Physics Room is actually a great contemporary art project space right in the center of the city. Open more than ten years, the center aims to develop and promote idea creation through art. It hosts regular exhibitions and other events in its modern, fully equipped space. Head here to see something really out of the ordinary.