Quake City, Christchurch (must see)

Quake City is Canterbury Museum’s special exhibition devoted to the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. It was created in response to strong public interest in understanding what happened during those years. The February 22, 2011 earthquake measured magnitude 6.3 and was especially destructive because it struck close to Christchurch, at shallow depth, and during the working day. It caused 185 deaths, injured many more people, and left much of the central city damaged or inaccessible.

The exhibition combines science, memory, and personal testimony. Visitors can hear from people who experienced the earthquakes and from those who came to help, including emergency responders, rescue teams, and ordinary citizens who joined the recovery effort. Hands-on displays explain the forces behind the quakes, including liquefaction, when shaking causes waterlogged ground to behave like liquid and push silt and water up through streets and foundations. This helps explain why some suburbs and central areas suffered so badly, especially where buildings and infrastructure stood on soft, saturated ground.

Among Quake City’s most affecting displays are treasured objects salvaged from damaged and demolished buildings. These include the fallen spire of Christ Church Cathedral, clocks from the former railway station, and other objects that help connect the wider disaster to specific places and memories. Photographs, filmed interviews, news footage, maps, and personal accounts show how quickly ordinary routines turned into emergency response. The exhibition also reflects Canterbury Museum’s role as guardian of the region’s history and collections, preserving not only physical fragments but also the stories attached to them.