Be part of keeping our history alive
We are a community-based museum, run by volunteers and supported by the generosity of our communities in Sumner, Redcliffs and Mount Pleasant.
Jump to: Join or volunteer · Donations · Donating artefacts · Contact & directions
One form, two great ways to help
Become a member. To encourage everyone’s involvement we have set the membership subscription at just $5 a year. Members keep the society going, receive our news, and are the only ones who can vote at our AGM as we work towards sharing our collections online.
Volunteer with us. We are looking for friendly people to join a group of well-established and newer volunteers who are passionate about protecting, sharing and expanding our collections. No specialist experience is required — just an interest in local history and a willingness to be involved. Ways you can help:
- Welcoming visitors and helping staff the museum
- Assisting with cataloguing and research
- Uploading and organising digital collections
- Helping to create exhibitions and displays
- Helping with fundraising
- Joining the committee
By bank transfer to:
The Sumner Redcliffs Historical Society
01‑0833‑0988906‑00
Please use your name as the reference. Donations are also very welcome.
Join us / lend a hand
One quick form covers both — tick membership, volunteering, or both. It takes about two minutes and asks for:
- Your name and contact details
- Whether you’d like to join ($5 a year), volunteer, or both
- What you’d enjoy helping with, and your availability
- A little about yourself — and any questions for us
The form opens in a new tab. Prefer email? Write to us at sumnermuseum@gmail.com and we’ll sort you out.
Give the past a future
You can donate money to the society or become a “Friend of the Museum”. Every dollar goes to caring for the collection, keeping the museum open and sharing our stories — the society is run entirely by volunteers.
The Sumner Redcliffs Historical Society
01‑0833‑0988906‑00
Please add “donation” and your name as the reference, and email us so we can thank you.
Offering an object to the museum
We would love to help protect historical items you may be holding. Because our museum is run entirely by volunteers and has limited physical space, we cannot accept every item offered to us. We gladly welcome objects, documents and photographs that have a direct, documented connection to our area’s history or its past residents — but we cannot accept items simply because they are old.
To avoid filling our limited storage with duplicates — and to save you a trip — we generally cannot accept large furniture, common household appliances (such as vintage sewing machines or typewriters), or items with no local origin story.
Please don’t leave donations at the door after hours. Instead, email us a photo and a brief history of the item, and our collection team will review it safely: sumnermuseum@gmail.com.
Come and see us
Drop by and say hello — other times by arrangement
14–16 Wakefield Avenue, Sumner, Christchurch 8081
