What it is
Christchurch has long been a gateway to Antarctica, and the centre's first stage opened in 1990 as offices and warehouses for the Antarctic programmes of New Zealand, the United States and Italy. The visitor attraction followed in 1992, alongside the clothing store and passenger terminal used by expeditions flying south.
Exhibits explain the continent's geography, wildlife and science. The Antarctic Storm room, opened in 2003, recreates a blizzard with wind chill down to minus 25 °C. A penguin encounter houses little blue penguins (kororā) that cannot survive in the wild, and visitors can ride in Hägglunds, tracked all-terrain vehicles of the kind used on the ice.
Getting there by bus
The Airport/Antarctic Centre stop (stop 19722) is about 80 m from the entrance and is served by routes 3 (Airport/Sumner), 8 (Airport/Lyttelton) and 125 (Redwood/Westlake).
Memorial Ave near Spitfire Square (stop 17379), around 3 minutes' walk, adds route 29 (Airport/City via Fendalton), and the Christchurch International Airport stop (stop 47222), about 6 minutes away at the terminal, is served by routes 3, 8, 29 and 125.
