Belfast District Museum
Belfast History & Genealogy
Canterbury
New Zealand

Belfast District Museum

Welcome to the website of the Belfast District Museum Trust! Where are we? The Museum is situated on the Kapuatohe Historic Reserve, 663-665 Main North Road, Belfast in northern Christchurch, right next to the 1877 Schoolmaster's House. Details of the history of the Museum can be found on the "Belfast History" page.

Recent developments - At the request of the Christchurch City Council, a Trust was set up following public meetings in 2006, to operate the Museum. We were assisted by a grant from the Shirley-Papanui Community Board. Further grant applications have been unsuccessful, and our operation until early 2012 is being sponsored by a kind donation from the Styx History Group, with whom we are now affiliated.

Entry to the Museum is free, but donations are sought ($2 per adult is suggested). Donations to the Trust may be made at the Museum, or sent to 6 Creese Place, Christchurch 8051. Museum currently closed - see below.

Events - We hope to arrange events to share the history of the area (originally Styx, later Belfast and Heslington) in association with the Styx History Group. This may take the form of public lectures or displays. Watch this website for announcements of such events.

Publications - The "Belfast Books" page lists books on the Belfast District that we have for sale. The latest is a history of Heslington, which was Belfast's neighbouring township. As other books on the Belfast district are published, we will endeavour to have them available for sale at the Museum.

Special Visits - Apart from the regular opening of the Museum, we can arrange (with suitable notice, and for a donation - suggested figure is $2 per person) to open the Museum for groups. Because of the small size of the museum, the maximum group size for comfortable viewing is about 35 people. Contact the Secretary at (03) 352 5545.Currently not available - see below.

Quality Management System - In 2009, the Belfast District Museum Trust had gifted to it a Quality Management System complying with ISO 9002, relating to the operation of the Trust and its running of the Museum. It may well be the only community museum in New Zealand to have such a system, which would usually cost several thousands of dollars to develop and put in place.

Genealogy- Are you working on your family tree? A genealogist from the Styx History Group (SHG) may be able to help. That group (like the Museum) has many photographs that may include your ancestors if they lived in the Styx/Belfast area. Five of the books on sale have been published by SHG and may include information that you are seeking. Do you have a family history that you would like to deposit at the Museum? The Trust may also receive family trees for its archives, by way of SHG. Visit the Museum when next open or contact the Styx History Group via this website.

Reduced Services - In February 2011, a change in our circumstances regarding ownership of items in the Museum saw the reduction of services that we can offer. For example, the Museum can no longer offer Genealogy Research (but see above). Once earthquake damage to the building and exhibits has been repaired, the Museum will continue to open as in the past (first Sunday of month, September to May, plus Council's Open Days of the Reserve). Visit the Museum when next open (it will be some time in 2012, when Council has arranged for earthquake damage to the building and exhibits to be repaired). This website will advise when the museum can again be opened to the public. The 2011 openings from March onward and the January 2012 opening were cancelled as a result of the 22 February 2011 earthquake & repairs in time for a February 2012 opening seem to be unlikely.