Southern Land, Southern People

Discover a region of superlatives and extremes ... driest, wettest, coldest, highest, windiest, most remote. The exhibition "Southern Land, Southern People" explains the origins of our demanding landscape and environment, how people discovered and explored it, how they utilised its natural resources and how its challenging nature rubbed off on them, leaving them with their "southern character".

Journey through geological time. Enjoy a close encounter with the superb fossil collections, dating over 500 million years. Discover New Zealand's largest fossil, the Shag Point plesiosaur - a striking sea-serpent like creature. Meet the largest collection of moa skeletons in New Zealand and find out why these incredible birds became extinct.

Investigate the southern lifestyle with stories of pioneering ingenuity and success - learn how Maori and Europeans explored and settled southern New Zealand. Admire over 50 New Zealand artworks commissioned to help illustrate our vibrant stories.