What to See and Do

Quake City is packed with interesting displays and interactives for all ages.

See pieces of the heritage buildings Christchurch lost in the quakes and use LEGO sets to design new structures for the city.

Understand the science behind earthquakes and measure your own quake by jumping near our seismograph.

The hands-on liquefaction simulator explains how shaking liquefies the ground, sinking buildings, burying streets and causing underground infrastructure to rise.

Buckled steel rods from the Hotel Grand Chancellor show the earthquakes’ raw power.

A portaloo door and a water container, donated to a Sumner resident by a farmer from West Melton, are reminders of some of the everyday difficulties many Canterbury residents faced in the aftermath of 22 February.

The film 12.51 features moving interviews with earthquake survivors, while Ripping the Streets follows a group of local skateboarders as they skate broken and abandoned streets.

A recreation of Gap Filler’s bicycle-powered cinema shows the many imaginative projects that brought life back into Christchurch’s empty spaces.

A selection of some of the more than 4,000 hand-stitched hearts sent to Canterbury is a reminder of the support from the rest of New Zealand and the wider world, and an iconic Sure to Rise tea towel featuring Christ Church Cathedral is an expression of hope for the future.

Collectively, these objects and many others tell the story of the Canterbury Earthquakes – a time of great loss, but also of hope, courage and love.