Archives NZ new Christchurch repository officially opened

9 October 2018

Today marks the official opening of the new Christchurch Regional office of Archives New Zealand.

Minister of Internal Affairs Hon Tracey Martin had the honour of ‘cutting the ribbon’ in front of a number dignitaries and guests that included Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration Hon Megan Woods.

The new Archives repository at Wigram, Christchurch, which has been open since early August, replaces the Peterborough Street facility that suffered damage after the 2011 earthquake.

“The new facility is designed to place primary attention to the secure storage and environmental protection of valuable archives as well as providing appropriate capacity for future growth.” says Chief Archivist, Richard Foy.

“This will ensure appropriate accommodation and a strong Archives NZ presence in the region for next 30 years.”

The new building demonstrates the government and department’s determination to protect local and national heritage.

This is the first time the region’s public archives are housed in the same location for over seven years since the 2011 earthquake.

In a digital age there still remains a need for a bricks and mortar repository for the medium term future. Regional repositories are an important part of the mix for Archives New Zealand.

This is an important step to the rebuild of archive and records management capability in Canterbury, and the cultural and heritage recovery of the region.

The construction took a little over a year to complete, this was followed by a carefully planned and significant relocation of the holdings in July. The build finished ahead of schedule and under budget.