Staff at the South Canterbury Museum are getting excited for Saturday to celebrate International Museum Day.

Ever wondered what goes on behind the exhibit? On Saturday a guided tour of the storage area is your chance!

South Canterbury Museum Director Philip Howe said the team are excited to be joining museums and galleries around the globe to celebrate the value and importance of our cultural institutions.

“To celebrate locally, the South Canterbury Museum will be running behind the scenes tours of some of the collection storage areas and providing an illustrated talk at 2pm about what is planned for the new facility on Stafford Street,” Howe said.

“Museum visitors on the day will also be able to take part in a social media "selfie" competition, using the Museum's special picture frames,”

Tours are bookable, require a donation and will be held at 10:30, 11:15, 12:00 and 1pm.  Any children must be accompanied by an adult, probably not suitable for under 8s.

Book via calling 03 687 7212 or emailing museum@timdc.govt.nz.

Aotearoa’s museums and galleries’ value at a glance:

Approximately 17.5 million people – both international and domestic - visit museums each year, generating at least $272 million in GDP.

Nearly a million students will visit a museum or gallery each year as part of their formal education.

The value of the educational impact for future productivity of these visits is approximately $24.6 million per year.

South Canterbury Museum had its biggest January on record in 2024 with 2968 visitors, that around 95 people a day.