International Antarctic Centre

Explorers strike out for the South Pole from Christchurch and have been since Scott in 1901, so it makes sense that memorabilia from trips would end up back here inspiring other polar hopefuls. The aim of the International Antarctic Centre is to re-create the atmosphere of a trip to the Antarctic, with interactive exhibits and light and sound shows as well as displaying artefacts belonging to expeditions from Scott’s to todays scientists. They haven’t done things by halves—they make snow and ice on site for the polar room, which is as close as you can get to being in Antarctica without having to step outdoors—there is even a storm half hourly, which you can shelter from in a cave or a tent. If that doesn‘t sound like adventure enough you also get the chance to ride a Hagglund, a kind of Arctic tank. If it sounds like too much there is also a penguin enclosure. The nearby international airport helped fund the building, the architecture is appropriately iceberg-esque.