Discover
The stories behind the Museum’s collections and exhibitions, and the work of our curators, scientists and staff.
Breaking the Ice: The First Year in Antarctica
Before the world had heard of Scott and Shackleton, another explorer hatched a plan to spend a year in Antarctica. He was Carsten Borchgrevink, and his team proved it was possible for humans to survive the Antarctic winter.
Dogs in Antarctica: Tales from the Pack
Meet the canine characters who helped Antarctic heroes like Scott and Shackleton explore the icy continent. From Kid the Courageous to Osman the Great, the dogs who pulled sledges and provided companionship on the great Antarctic expeditions all had tales of their own.
Blog Posts
Museum curators, scientists and technicians share stories from the Museum’s collections and their internationally-recognised research. Sign up here and we’ll regularly deliver a blog post to your inbox.
Eleven-year-old Fossil Hunters
Fri, 16 Sep 2022
In the summer of 1967, 11-year-old Pete Tyree found a fossil at Motunau Beach in North Canterbury. Although excited by the find, the young Pete could not have guessed it would lead to the discovery of a new species of extinct penguin.
Stories
Short stories from the collection and behind the scenes at the Museum. For easy access to our short stories, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our e newsletter.
Listen: Operation Grapple Panel Discussion
Wed, 01 Jun 2022
This panel discussion, recorded at on 13 May at Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, examines Aotearoa New Zealand's involvement in the British nuclear tests known as Operation Grapple, and the ongoing consequences for the sailors involved.
Moa Moulds at the Museum
Tue, 31 May 2022
In 2005, the Museum’s Exhibitions Team was tasked with creating a replica articulated skeleton of a South Island Giant Moa for the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada. Fortunately for the team, it wasn’t the first time this had been requested – an imitation skeleton had been made previously for a museum in Japan using moulds taken from a skeleton in the collection.
Bucchero or Black Glaze? Know Your Ancient Ceramics
Wed, 30 Mar 2022
Etruscan bucchero is a type of ceramic tableware produced in central Italy between the 7th and 5th centuries BCE. It is characterised by a dark grey or black clay that is burnished to create a highly polished surface that is thought, by some scholars, to emulate metal.
