Canterbury Museum

The Canterbury Museum on Rolleston Ave is at the very heart of the city's arts precinct, and is located between the Arts Centre and the Robert McDougall Gallery, adjacent to the wonderful botanic gardens. It's a beautiful building, being constructed of local and Oamaru stone. The biblical inscription over the entrance is a passage from Job 26.14, and was suggested by William Rolleston as being a suitableand was later added in 1896, some 26 years after the establishment of the museum.

The portico is original (there have been several changes to the building down the years) and it is still used as the main entrance. The Oamaru stone columns feature many animals in relief, providing an engaging detail to an already striking building.