You are warmly invited to join us for Days of Ice at Tūranga to celebrate the opening of the Antarctic science season. There will be themed activities, speakers, films and events for tamariki. Immerse yourself in the Aurora Waiata southern lights experience, plus more for the whole whānau!
Explore Antarctica
Saturday 7 October 10am to 4pm
All whānau are welcome to attend this expo-style event. Come along and meet members of the Antarctic community and hear about their experiences, the science being undertaken, the logistic challenges and the amazing possibilities. Exhibitors include RNZDF, Antarctica NZ, New Zealand Antarctic Society, Macpac, Antarctic Heritage Trust, KOPRI, USA, Earth Sea Sky and Heritage Expeditions.
Tamariki can enjoy storytimes, penguin origami, face painting, and meet the huskies!
Be in to WIN a family membership to the International Antarctic Centre Ambassador Club.
- Meet Joe and his Huskies (12noon to 2.30pm) Library Plaza
- Visit the Aurora Waiata installation in the Activity Room (10am to 4pm)
- Check out 'Penguins from Space' in the computer lab on Auahatanga , Level 4 (10am to 11am for ages 7 to 12, free, bookings required)
- Browse the Awesome Antarctica Polar Women Exhibition on He Hononga, Ground floor (10am to 4pm)
- Explore Antarctica is supported by Ōtautahi Christchurch.
- Find out more
Events
Expedition | Photographer Rewa Rendall
Tuesday 3 October 6.30pm to 7.30pm; Thursday 5 October 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Location: Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1
Climb abroad an immersive voyage south into the liquid landscapes of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Join Rewa Rendall, old school Antarctic Photographer and step out of your comfort zone without getting cold.
David Ellis: Antarctica clothing
Thursday 5 October 2.30pm to 3.15pm
Location: Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1
David Ellis | Antarctica Clothing – Keeping New Zealanders warm on the ice for 67 years
An intriguing family story and the background to Earth Sea Sky's unique Antarctic heritage, the design of polar clothing and the importance of layering to achieve maximum performance in Antarctica’s extreme and unrelenting environment.
Life in a frozen ocean
Wednesday 4 October 5.30pm to 7.15pm
Location: Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1
Life in a frozen ocean | Penguins, algae and the sea ice they depend upon.
Panel discussion with Dr Natalie Robinson, Jacqui Stuart and Rose Foster-Dyer on Antarctic sea ice in a warming world and impacts for the ecosystem.
Exhibitions
Awesome Antarctica Polar Women
Location: He Hononga | Connection, Ground floor
Awesome Antarctica Polar Women is an exhibition that draws from a growing network of female polar researchers who, through sharing their stories and experiences, hope to inspire the careers of other women. These extraordinary scientists are shaping the way we understand the polar regions, their findings highlight how essential the natural world is to our survival, and how crucial polar research is in safeguarding our future.
Find out more
Aurora Waiata
Location: Activity Room, Hapori | Community, Level 1
Experience the ancient chorus of Tahu-nui-ā-Rangi in an installation by Jason O'Hara.
Scientists tell us that the shimmering ribbons of light that appear at night in the polar regions are the Aurora Australis* (also called the Southern Lights). They state that the glow is the result of interaction between solar winds and the earth's magnetic field, exciting electrons in the atmosphere to generate light - usually green but sometimes red, pink and purple depending on the gases present and the amount of solar activity. Before scientific insight, cultures around the globe imagined many explanations for the lights, often seeing them as being linked to the supernatural, ancestors and omens. For example, the Māori name Tahu-nui-ā-Rangi refers to the great fires of ancestors whose canoes ventured far to the south.
In his project Aurora Waiata, artist Jason O'Hara takes a similarly poetic interpretation of this phenomenon, inspired by his visits to Antarctica and the resulting encounters with Weddell seals.
Find out more
Films
Te Whakairo - Ngā Kī O Te Tai Ao (The carvings carry the stories of the world)
A film by Vanessa Wells, Running time: 13:42
Showing at Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1 at 12noon daily
Two talented carvers from each end of Aotearoa New Zealand take their whakairo (carving) to Antarctica in response to New Zealand's kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the world’s largest marine protected area - The Ross Sea.
Find out more
Antarctica from above
Showing at Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1 at 12.15pm to 1.45pm daily
Narrated by Lucy Lawless, Antarctica from Above is a journey with Heritage Expeditions through some of the world’s most isolated and breathtaking locations, while seeking to understand our complex relationship with the region in the face of a changing climate.
Find out more
More about Antarctica
Visit our Antarctica web page for books, resources, and images exploring local connections with Antarctica
Add a comment to: Awesome Antarctica Days of Ice at Tūranga: Monday 2 October to Sunday 8 October