Story: Art galleries and collections

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū opened in 2003, replacing the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, which had housed the city’s collection since 1932. 

The small size of the McDougall gallery had restricted the scale of exhibitions that could be shown, whereas the new gallery complex is the largest in the South Island, featuring two floors of exhibition space, educational activity areas, an auditorium and a sculpture garden. Used as a civil defence coordination centre in the aftermath of the February 2011 earthquakes, investigations showed the foundations of the gallery had been damaged and it was closed until late 2015. 

Under the leadership of director, Jenny Harper, the gallery recovered from its almost five years of closure, increased its visitor numbers and added many significant works to its permanent collection, including Michael Parekowhai's 'On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer'.