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Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm;
Saturday and Sunday 1pm - 4pm.
Closed Mondays and Statutory Holidays.
Groups by arrangement.
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Displays:
Changing Times celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first settlement of the town of Ashburton. It features communication items, household items, common entertainment artifacts, timepieces and much more in each of 15 bays, each representing a 10-year period.
Pick up your guide for this display on your way in, and you can also try your hand at our quiz - two levels, senior and junior.
Measuring up: A display of many types of equipment used for taking a wide range of measurements - hydrometers to egg scales, theodolite to tape measures, multi-meter to inclinometer. This display is packed full of information about the way things were measured in the pre-metric era. Try your weight on scales that measure in stones - you'll be amazed how much lighter you feel.
Washday Blues is a display that features examples of the equipment used for doing the washing early last century, including an 1880s washing machine with an intriguing history and not forgetting peg dolls to kee the children amused while Mum hung out the washing.
Photographers Studio - a display featuring the backdrops and cameras used to take those intriguing Edwardian studio portraits.
Schooldays is a display containing many of the items that would have been in a classroom in the early 1900s.
Permanent displays
A large relief model of the Ashburton District illustrates the relationship of the plains with the district's high country.
A working model shows how flood irrigation, a system pioneered in the Ashburton district, works.
The varied geology of Mid Canterbury is featured in another display, including information about the area's unique braided rivers.
A re-created office from the 1930s shows how a grain merchant worked, grain growing being one of the mainstays of the area's economy at that time.
Ashburton was well-known for its brick manufacturing and for its many fine brick building, now mostly sadly gone. The Crum family brickworks features in a special display.
W,H.Collins and Co, a long-standing hardware business, are recognised in a hardware shop display.
Short-term displays
As well as the permanent display the Museum stages a number of short-term displays, some with an ongoing theme, others in response to happenings in the Ashburton District.
On Sale:
The Ashburton Museum has for sale more than 50 books and booklets about various aspects of Mid Canterbury History, priced from as little as $4. Call in and inspect the range.
Two books that are creating a lot of interest are:
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The Mount Somers Tramway 1887 — 1943 is a 200 page book telling the story of a narrow guage railway built to extract the mineral wealth of the Ashburton Gorge.
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A Nurse at War, Emily Peter 1858 — 1927 tells the story of a Mid Canterbury nurse from Anama who served in both the Boer War in South Africa and in Egypt and Serbia during World War One.
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These books are priced at $45 each. Postage in NZ $6 extra.
EARLY ASHBURTON BUSINESSES
TRADEWHERE - a new 320page book by Ashburton researcher Viv Hanson. The book details the location of all businesses in central Ashburton from 1878 to 1910. Also included is a little history about many of the businesses.
This is an ideal finding aid for people whose family owned an Ashburton business in earler years. Using original Town Section numbers instead of street numbers it enables descendants to visit the site of their ancestor's business.
Available now at the Museum, $50 per copy, postage extra ($6 in NZ).
ALSO:
Early Days in the Ashburton County, by Alex Hewson, originally published in 1918 and now republished by the Ashburton Museum. Contains much information about 19th Century Mid Canterbury that is unable to be found elsewhere. $15 per copy - postage in NZ $2 extra.
Spuds and Dishes, Reminiscences of cooking for shearers on many South Island high country stations by Joyce Grieve. 94 pages, A4 format. $30 plus $6 postage in New Zealand
Hinds and Surrounding Areas. The history of the Hinds District, large format, hard cover, 320 pages covering every aspect of the history of this important rural township. $25 plus $6 postage in New Zealand.
And Many More
Including histories of sports clubs, schools, churches and districts.
Enquire now to see if we have something on your area of interest.
LATEST RELEASE
Liquid Gold, a 125 page history of irrigation in Mid Canterbury by Brian Cameron. The author is a pioneer of spray irrigation in New Zealand and is well qualified to write on this topic. Available now at $25 plus $4 postage in New Zealand
Research:
Address mail and email queries to The Research Department at the address above.
The Ashburton Museum holds a large collection of archival material from community organisations, businesses and individuals. There is also an extensive photographic collection and a large collection of maps.
Research can be carried out using these resources - visitors should contact the Museum in advance to make an appointment.
Museum staff will carry out research on behalf of people who can not get to Ashburton, but there is a charge for this service.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
At presnt there may be some delays in assisting enquirers with research or scanning photographs, as museum staff are involved with recataloguing the collection and preparing it to move to a new building in 2011.
Enquirers should expect delays, but can be assured staff will deal with their enquiry as soon as possible. During this period enquiries would be best made by mail or email. Telephone and counter enquiries may not be able to be dealt with immediately.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but assure all those interested in Ashburton research that the facilities in the new Ashburton Heritage Centre will be much improved and that some outstanding new resources will become available after the move.
Fees:
There is no charge for accessing Family Files, photo catalogue databases and the museum library in person; however donations towards museum costs are appreciated. Researching museum archives can only be carried out by Museum staff. Charges apply for photocopying, printouts and in-depth research conducted by staff beyond initial introductory work.
Please contact the Museum for the current rates for research work.
 Flashlight photography is not permitted in the museum under any circumstances.
Photographing collection items (without flashlight) requires permission from Museum staff.
Copying of photographs from the collection by photographing them is permitted only when other methods are not possible. A fee is payable for this
Membership:
The Ashburton Museum is operated by the Ashburton Museum and Historical Society, an incorporated society. Members assist the Museum in many ways, assisting with fundraising events and volunteering for Sunday afternoon duty and other tasks.
Society members receive regular newsletters, enjoy bi-monthly speakers and reduced entry to society events; as well as reduced research rates. Subscriptions are $10 per year for one person; $13.50 per year for a couple and/or school age children at one address; $3.50 student membership and $25 for corporate members.
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