Preserving our past. Sharing our stories. Inspiring future generations.
The Sumner Museum is a volunteer-run community museum on the first floor of Matuku Takotako: Sumner Centre, in the heart of Sumner. We keep the photographs, documents, maps, artefacts and personal stories of our seaside communities — and some of those stories are yours.
14–16 Wakefield Avenue, Sumner, Christchurch 8081
Other times by arrangement — just email us
Everyone is welcome to join
A small museum in the heart of Sumner
Our collection of photographs, documents, maps and artefacts reflects the people, places and events that have shaped our unique seaside communities — from early Māori occupation and European settlement to seaside recreation, local transport, education, community life, and the resilience of our communities through the Canterbury earthquakes and beyond.
Whether you are a resident, visitor, family historian, student or researcher, we invite you to discover the stories that make Sumner special. Drop by on a Tuesday morning and say hello.
- Our latest news lives on our Facebook page — exhibitions, working bees and what the volunteers are up to.
- Membership drive on now — we have set the subscription at just $5 this year so everyone can be part of it. Join here.
A hundred years of the bays, one object at a time
We are digitising our photographs, records and objects so they can be enjoyed from anywhere. Here is a glimpse of what is waiting upstairs.
Help us keep the bays’ history in the bays
We are in the middle of an active membership drive. Members keep the doors open, the archive growing and the stories being told — and this year it costs just $5. Members also have a voice: only members can vote at our AGM as we work towards sharing our collections online.
“I want to be a member to support our community and assist in preserving our heritage.”
— from the society’s membership form