Join us on Labour Monday, 26 October, to celebrate Pioneer Hall’s 60th birthday and the closing of our current Museum.
It’s all happening from 11am to 2pm
- BBQ
- Birthday cake
- Lucky number tickets
- Old fashioned games
- Learn to juggle
A free public event for all. Come along and share you memories of visiting the Museum over the years!
For more details about the closure, read on ...
South Canterbury Museum marks 60 years with special closing celebration
The South Canterbury Museum will mark a historic milestone at Labour Weekend, closing its doors for the final time on Monday 26 October with a day of free family events and a 60th birthday party for its iconic octagonal Pioneer Hall building.
The Museum will open at 10am on Monday 26 October, with a range of family activities running from 11am to 2pm to celebrate the occasion. The building first opened to the public in December 1966, making this closing day a fitting opportunity to mark six decades as a beloved community facility.
The closure will allow the Museum team to focus on dismantling the ground floor exhibition areas, following the closure of the mezzanine floor displays in late July. Collection objects will be carefully checked and prepared for their new home in the South Canterbury Heritage gallery, planned for the new Te Kura Marumaru South Canterbury Museum currently under construction on Barnard Street. Many objects will require new mounts and display preparations before the move.
The Museum team will use the six-month closure period to prepare for relocation, with a target opening date of April 2027.
Museum Director Philip Howe says the team is looking forward to what lies ahead. "The Museum team have been working hard on planning and design for all aspects of the new museum and its operations over the last 18 months. Although a huge amount of work remains to be done, we are excited about what will result and look forward to opening the doors of Te Kura Marumaru South Canterbury Museum in 2027."
Mr Howe is encouraging the community to join the closing day celebrations. "We are grateful to those who have continued to visit us or take part in our programmes over the last few months as the current Museum has been winding down. We hope people will join us at Labour Weekend to mark the closure of the current museum and celebrate the 60 years that the building has operated as a public facility."