Christchurch Art Gallery

Overview

'Te Puna o Waiwhetu' is Maori for 'the spring of star-reflecting waters', an apt name for this repository of art which is both mesmerising and deeply affecting. Funded by Christchurch City Council, the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu houses both local and international works whose beauty and thought-provoking subject matter contribute to the cultural well-being of the community. In addition to the carefully curated and rotating permanent collection, the gallery hosts world-class exhibitions set up in any or all of the nine exhibition areas.

The building itself is a work of art with its spectacular flowing glass and metal facade representing the Avon River and spiral-shaped koru (a fern-leaf motif used in Maori culture). Open daily from 10am, its a lovely place to while away an afternoon.