Review

You won't find anything like this experience anywhere else in the world. The International Antarctic Centre is a truly unique venue that brings all the mysteries of the great continent of Antarctica together with fun attractions, educational information and a special penguin encounter. All these things help create a memorable experience that will keep you and the family entertained for hours.

While the entry is expensive, the International Antarctic Centre operates as a commercial entity with no outside funding so the price is justifiable especially when you factor in the amount of fun on offer during a visit.

You may not know much about Antarctica when you arrive but this will definitely change not long after arrival with so much information to take in. There's almost too much information to handle in one visit but those who find the epic history of Antarctica fascinating will enjoy this. Others will shorter attention spans can learn in other ways, such as the spectacular audio visual displays and interactive exhibits.

The best things about the International Antarctic Centre however are the activities when you really get to experience what it's like to live in such a harsh environment. There's no wonder the human body has to adapt by growing hair twice as fast and storing up fat to counter the extreme cold.

The popular Snow and Ice experience delivers this experience by thrusting you into a minus 8 degree celsius Antarctic wind before cranking it up a notch, winding up the storm fans and delivering wind gusts dropping the temperature as low as minus 50 degrees! While this is going on you can check out the ice cave, Antarctic survival tent or brave the winds and head down the ice slide. A warm jacket is recommended but you can borrow one if you didn't bring your own. It's a great attraction that will change the way you think about a cold morning in your own city when comparing it to the equivalent in Antarctica.

Next it's on to the New Zealand Penguin Encounter which has only just been included in the Antarctic Centre, opening up a whole new side to the venue. It's extremely popular with the kids and they'll love watching the penguins dart around the water and go about their everyday lives. They can also learn more about the variety of penguins that live in Antarctica, all the way up to the huge Emperor Penguin and its amazing breeding and feeding journeys against all odds and through the harshest of conditions.

The International Antarctic Centre also caters for schools and education groups with a variety of educators capable of delivering Antarctic lessons to suit those who visit. Coupled with a visit through the main attraction area this can be great way to introduce students to the wonders of Antarctica.

Other highlights include the Hagglund ride and the viewing rooms for watching fascinating scenes of Antarctica. You'll learn a lot through a visit to the Antarctic Centre, names like Scott, the Ross Ice Shelf and Shackleton may not ring a bell today but after a visit you'll be an expert on Antarctic history and the current programmes that run there today.

If you're visiting Christchurch and not a restricted budget, the International Antarctic Centre is a great opportunity to do something different, enjoying an experience that is uniquely New Zealand.

Location

The International Antarctic Centre is located at 38 Orchard Road, just a leisurely 8 minute walk from both the domestic and international terminals. Christchurch, New Zealand.

Operating hours

• Open every day of the year, from 9:00am
• Winter Hours, 1 April 2007 to 30 September 2007, 9:00am to 5:30pm
• Summer Hours, 1 October 2007 to 31 March 2008, 9:00am to 7:00pm

Visit

www.iceberg.co.nz

 

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