Rutherford's Den ready to re-open

The spiritual home of New Zealand’s greatest scientist will reopen to the public on Saturday.

Rutherford’s Den, in the Christchurch Art’s Centre, will open its doors for the first time in five years this weekend, kick-starting a spring and summer of good news for the Arts Centre.

The Den, a tribute to Ernest, Lord Rutherford, our most famous Nobel-prize winning scientist, has been closed since the February 2011 earthquake.

The space has been strengthened and restored, and now boasts a raft of new multimedia, interactive presentations on Lord Rutherford, who worked there in the 1890s.

Inside Rutherford's Den.

Arts Centre Chief Executive Andre Lovatt said significant earthquake strengthening was installed in the Den before all the historic elements were put back, essentially hiding the strengthening and enhancing the beautiful heritage setting.

“The heritage features are exactly as they were, but the exhibits have been transformed to use 21st century storytelling techniques. Touch screens, walk-in exhibits, characters on screens that copy what you do – it’s very interactive so it will appeal to people of all ages. The Lecture Theatre is exactly as it was originally – until you see the digital screen at the front playing the movie we have commissioned. We want this to be a place where people of all backgrounds come and be inspired about the world changing transformational nature of ideas, ideas that Rutherford had, and we can’t wait to see how people respond.”

Lord Rutherford completed his graduate degrees at Canterbury College in the buildings now known as the Arts Centre. As a student, Rutherford carried out much of his research in a basement den in the Clock Tower building.

The experiment room in the basement of the building will now play sound recordings of Rutherford’s voice, with footage of Rutherford at work in his laboratory being projected onto one of the Art’s Centre’s iconic walls.

One special feature of the Den will also make a triumphant return this weekend. The original benches from the lecture theatre in the Den, which date from 1877, will reappear in public after being craned through a window to be stored while the restoration took place.

“There were many challenges but perhaps the greatest was striking a balance between old and new. The Arts Centre took great care to ensure the refurbishment was sympathetic to its heritage setting. The contemporary fit-out materials complement the historic timber, brickwork and stone; we have re-instated the original wooden lecture theatre benches dating from 1877; timeline panels have been arranged around windows in a way that still allows views into the historic North Quadrangle; and we have fully restorated the ornate ceiling that includes what is believed to be among the first pre-cast concrete panels to be used in New Zealand building construction,” Mr Lovatt said.

“We are so proud of what we have created for the public and can’t wait to let people in”.

Mr Lovatt said the Arts Centre had largely been closed since the earthquakes and held a special place in the hearts of many.

“We re-opened the Great Hall in June and in spring the North Quadrangle and Library will be accessible once again, along with a number of new cafés and food outlets. This is a very exciting time for the Arts Centre – by the end of the year almost half of the site will be open once again.”

Find out more on Rutherford’s Den.