Ravenscar House Museum
Ravenscar House Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
A wall to wall collection of wonderful New Zealand art and objects displayed in a stylish contemporary home. Now you can explore the house museum with special guided tours at 2.00 pm on Wednesdays and Sundays. Our experienced and knowledgeable visitor hosts will guide you through a bespoke art experience in the heart of Christchurch.
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4.5
23 reviews
Excellent
17
Very good
2
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Robert D
Brooklyn, New York5,465 contributions
Oct 2024 • Solo
An interesting museum was the Ravenscar House Museum. A wealthy couple wanted people to see their art collection as displayed in a domestic setting. Their house in the suburbs was destroyed in the Christchurch earthquakes. They built this purpose-built structure in the city centre to house their collection. I took a one hour tour of their house museum and then wandered by myself to take some photos. The library door dates from approx. 1650. The outside of the door was concealed as a bookshelf. The bedroom features furniture by David Linley (Queen Elizabeth II's nephew), made in the 1990s. Since the museum is supposed to be like a house, there are no labels on the exhibits. You have to download the information.
Written 7 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
S K
Wellington, New Zealand79 contributions
Nov 2024 • Couples
This small art museum is a wonderful addition to Christchurch’s artistic palate. In a dramatic Andrew Patterson building (a fraction of the size of his New Plymouth Len Lye gallery) are displayed a cross-section of first-rate New Zealand art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: some superb privately-held Frances Hodgkins, Colin McCahon and Charles Goldie works in particular, along with sculptures by Paul Dibble, glass by Ann Robinson and antiquities and other applied artworks. Allow at least an hour. You will leave refreshed and with a very good sense of what modern New Zealand art is really about
Written 3 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ryehouse1989
Cirencester, UK10 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Susan Wakefields comment about her and her husbands wish that their museum/gallery is “a special atmosphere and above all a living place” has proven true. Ravenscar House tells a wonderful story. Make sure you visit especially if you are a lover of art.
Written 12 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jprofilo
Pompano Beach, FL104 contributions
Nov 2024 • Couples
A hidden gem to visit in Christchurch
Ravenscar House Museum
It is a museum that has been thoughtfully built to house the personal art collection of
The late Jim & Susan Wakefield.
The building is an architectural masterpiece.
Ravenscar House Museum
It is a museum that has been thoughtfully built to house the personal art collection of
The late Jim & Susan Wakefield.
The building is an architectural masterpiece.
Written 12 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathleen C
20 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
The museum houses an eclectic mix of glass, sculpture, furniture, rugs and paintings but we found the cost of admission $25 per adult to be very high for the size of the facility. Because the museum is supposed to represent the actual home of the wealthy couple who gifted the collection, a decision has been made not to use markers for the items on display. Instead, you have to download a e-guide to read about the items or read from a small printed brochure. I had a headache after looking up/down from this guidance material. Surely now that the benefactors have passed away, a decision to erect markers next to each item would not offend anyone?
Written 7 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
evets1232016
Sydney, Australia464 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
This museum is a reproduction of a house of a late wealthy Christchurch couple, who were avid collectors of fine art, but lost their house to an earthquake. The art, glassware, furnishings and so on are beautiful, but this museum is rather small, and you would need barely 30 minutes to view it all, so I thought $25 a head for entry was rather steep. Staff were lovely and very helpful.
Written 26 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Safari608804
7 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
My wife and I visited this small museum which exhibits the collection of Christchurch philanthropists and art collectors Jim and Susan Wakefield. The collection was originally housed in their Christchurch home in the coastal suburb of Scarborough, which was damaged beyond repair in the February 2011 earthquake. It is an eclectic collection of paintings, furniture, glassware and some very interesting Roman antiquities including a small be excellent collection of coins. We spent a couple of hours viewing the exhibits, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Written 5 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony D
Christchurch, New Zealand7 contributions
Dec 2021
First up - it does cost $25 to enter but by the time you've completed a tour of the facility, it barely seems like enough. What a wonderful concept made real - each room (living room, library has it's own collection. Download the free guide to your phone at reception. Heavy on NZ greats (Goldie/McCahon/Hodgkins etc) there are surprises in each room. The collection includes ancient Greek artefacts and both classical contemporary NZ artists and more. Seriously recommended.
Written 9 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pierrekiwi
Australia155 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
If you enjoy art, this is an absolute must visit place in Christchurch. This purpose build property houses the collection of Jim and Susan Wakefield. The building reflects the main rooms of their home in the suburb of Scarborough that was destroyed in the earthquakes.
The gallery displays the couple’s paintings, sculptures, furniture and extensive collection of glassware. Visitors are welcome to peruse the books and settle in the library to read if they wish.
This is a very special place.
The gallery displays the couple’s paintings, sculptures, furniture and extensive collection of glassware. Visitors are welcome to peruse the books and settle in the library to read if they wish.
This is a very special place.
Written 26 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Summerasalifestyle
Malibu, CA3,588 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
Love that you get to experience the art as their guests would experience it when they came for a visit. A museum that’s humble and guest oriented. Wish it was my house. Fantastic exterior sculptures and what’s left of the gardens.
Love the interior a blend of modern and old art.
Love the interior a blend of modern and old art.
Written 3 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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