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Antarctic for the day back to stories

Published: June 22, 2010

Christchurch is the launching point for most international scientific Antarctic expeditions and home to the award-winning International Antarctic Centre. The Antarctic Centre is billed as one of the city’s top attractions and promises snow, penguins, a thrilling storm experience, Hägglund vehicles and a large HD screen showing a majestic Antarctic movie – and it doesn’t fail to deliver. Despite the admission price (a hefty $55!) the centre is impressive and keeps you entertained and informed for a good couple of hours.

It’s home to 26 Little Blue Penguins, the world’s smallest variety, and we arrive at their enclosure just before feeding time. The penguins have all been rescued, and most have disabilities that would render them defenseless in the wild. The little critters seem quite unbalanced out of water and shake like they are freezing. But the guide tells us that the opposite is the case: the penguins shiver to cool down their feathery little bodies.

I reluctantly leave the adorable penguins to their after-dinner nap and wander through to the Antarctic Gallery, a display packed with interactive exhibits and short documentaries. They have everything covered, from info on what it’s like to live and work on the frozen continent, to wildlife, plants and global eco-systems. With so much to learn you can easily get lost for hours, but a big storm is about to blow a gale next door in the Antarctic Storm Room. After donning rubber shoes and a protective jacket, we head off to experience the world’s first indoor storm. It’s cold, bloody cold. A 40 kph wind blows and the temperature drops to -18 degrees C. I’m quietly thankful that I didn’t visit in summer with shorts and flip-flops!

The grand finale (aside from my purchase of some very cute merino penguin gloves!) is a 20-minute HD movie, filmed in Antarctica with a helicopter-mounted camera. It’s a visual feast as the film maker takes us on a journey from sunset to sunrise through the extremities of the seasons, between canyons and over mountains.

Originally I was sceptical after reading mixed reviews, but now I feel the Antarctic Centre is well worth a visit. I have just heard that 4D is due to arrive at the centre in November. At the moment, a brand-new 50-seat 4D theatre is under construction. This means in the future you won’t just get a 3D movie experience, but your Antarctic adventure will also include sensations of air and water, seat vibrations and movement, and the very scent of snow!