1 / 6International Antarctic Centre
📍 Christchurch Airport, Canterbury
Antarctic attraction at Christchurch Airport with Little Blue penguin viewing, Hägglunds vehicle ride, storm simulator, 4D theatre, pettable huskies, and Antarctic Gallery. Birthday parties. Free parking and café on site.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
A reviewer with a twelve and fifteen year old described three hours flying past across penguins, the Hägglunds, 4D movie, and storm room. Another with a nine-year-old praised the VIP backstage penguin pass - staff described as amazing and enthusiastic about individual penguin personalities. The Hägglunds ride has a minimum height of 1.2 m.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →3,935 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
Michele Boukai
9 months ago
“Had a great experience today at the Antarctic center. It was part of a cruise excursion, so unfortunately our time was limited. Would definitely want to come back and delve deeper into it. Great variety of experiences to partake. I learned a lot, and would love to learn more! Great place for families with kids, there's lots of hands on activities. Cindy was our guide, and she was excellent! You felt her excitement about the topic, especially all the inside gossip about the cutie penguins. 😍”
Anthony Kevin Campos
11 months ago
“Wonderful place to bring family and friends! We had an (arctic) blast last time we went, had a lot to do and see with all the activities and shows althroughout. Please note though that rides do have a height requirement which they are a bit strict with for safety reasons. The rest are pretty accessible to the young and young at heart. A bit pricey but you doget a lot of enjoyment and knowledge out of it.”
Bridget Fowles
a week ago
“Very informative with the information presented in several different ways. There's not an overload of written material. I first had a ride in a Hägglund which was fun then went inside. Theres several short movies to watch, a storm room experience and a 4D movie experience. Give yourself 2 hours to visit here and book in advance”
📊 Commonly mentioned in Google reviews
Based on Google review tagsPenguins
575 reviews
Huskies
269 reviews
4d movie
263 reviews
Penguin feeding
57 reviews
Interactive exhibits
44 reviews
Overview
Operating since 1992, the centre brings Antarctic life to visitors through hands-on experiences. The penguin rescue facility houses rehabilitating Little Blue penguins with viewing and feeding sessions. The Hägglunds Field Trip crosses a purpose-built off-road track in Scott Base vehicles. The storm simulator recreates Antarctic conditions and the 4D Theatre screens a ten-minute film. Behind-the-scenes penguin tours and two-hour guided tours available separately. Baby-change facilities on site.






