The Britten Museum, on the ground floor of Iwikau House at 93 Cambridge Terrace, is a permanent exhibition in central Christchurch honouring the life and genius of New Zealand inventor John Britten. Directly opposite the Bridge of Remembrance on the corner of Cashel Street and Cambridge Terrace, it showcases as its crown jewels the world-famous Britten V1000 — the hand-built 'pink and blue' motorcycle that set four world speed records and claimed the 1995 World BEARS Championship.
Inside, visitors find original Britten motorcycles, components and archival material preserved by the Britten team and John's family, immersive audio-visual storytelling, a recreation of the team's remarkably modest 1990s Carlyle Street workshop, and two boutique cinemas screening documentaries and 1990s footage. The story told goes beyond the machines — John Britten (1950–1995) was a husband, father and loyal friend, and the pied piper of a dream whose charm drew passionate volunteers from New Zealand and around the world.
The museum is run by The John Britten Preservation Trust, a not-for-profit charitable trust established by six-time New Zealand Motorcycle Road Racing Champion Mike Pero — the project's sole financial donor — together with trustees Craig Roberts, Kirsteen Britten and Felicity Price. Open 364 days a year from 10am to 4:30pm and sitting beside Westend Stories Café, it warmly welcomes locals as well as domestic and international visitors to one of Christchurch's most inspiring experiences.
On the ground floor of Iwikau House at 93 Cambridge Terrace — directly opposite the Bridge of Remembrance, on the corner of Cashel Street and Cambridge Terrace — the Britten Museum tells one of New Zealand's great underdog stories. Open 364 days a year from 10am to 4:30pm, this permanent exhibition honours the life and genius of Kiwi inventor John Britten, with his world-famous Britten V1000 motorcycles showcased as the crown jewels.
It's a compact, warmly run space that welcomes locals as well as domestic and international tourists, and it sits on the ground floor beside Westend Stories Café — handy if you want to turn a visit into a longer city outing.
John Kenton Britten (1950–1995) packed an extraordinary amount into his 45 years before losing his life to melanoma. Often compared to Leonardo da Vinci, he saw the world differently — a gift of imagination he and those around him connected to his dyslexia and his refusal to accept limitations. Where rival manufacturers had committees and enormous budgets, John had a modest garage in Merivale, a small circle of equally passionate friends, and sheer determination.
The result was the Britten V1000: a hand-built machine in distinctive pink and blue that reshaped the look of modern motorcycles and redefined the limits of engineering possibility. Britten's bikes set four world speed records, claimed the 1995 World BEARS Championship, and won Grand Prix events. Only ten V1000s were ever produced, and today each is valued at more than $2 million — among the rarest and most remarkable motorcycles ever built.
Just as remarkable is where it all happened. The team's 1990s workshop on Carlyle Street was, by the standards of Britten's well-resourced European counterparts, extremely modest — and that underdog story is one the museum delights in telling.
Inside, visitors come face to face with original Britten motorcycles, components and archival material preserved by the Britten team and John's family. John's life unfolds through immersive audio-visual storytelling in sound, print and text — and it covers far more than motorcycles. He was a husband, father and loyal friend, and the pied piper of a dream whose charm and charisma drew talented people from New Zealand and around the world, all inspired to help him achieve the impossible.
You can also step into a recreation of the team's Carlyle Street workshop from the 1990s, then settle into one of the museum's two boutique cinemas to watch documentaries and video footage from the era and beyond. As racer Andrew Stroud reflects, John was driven, determined and continually strived for perfection — and the continuing success of the V1000 was a tribute to that vision.
The museum is presented by The John Britten Preservation Trust, a not-for-profit charitable trust established to ensure the collection endures for future generations. Mike Pero, the six-time New Zealand Motorcycle Road Racing Champion, is the sole financial donor of the project, working alongside fellow trustees Craig Roberts, Kirsteen Britten and Felicity Price. The machines themselves are on loan thanks to the generosity of Kirsteen (Britten) and John's family — without them, the museum would not exist.
For Pero, the project is about more than motorcycles: it celebrates vision, determination, entrepreneurship and ingenuity, and stands as proof that with perseverance, Kiwis can take on the world — and win.
Allow enough time to enjoy the cinemas as well as the displays, and consider pairing your visit with the Westend Stories Café on the ground floor or the Riverside Markets and Bridge of Remembrance just across the way. The museum shop stocks The John Britten Story (30th Anniversary Edition), which includes a free transferable adult admission pass — a nice touch if you're buying it as a gift.
Schools can arrange dedicated visits through the museum's booking page, and with doors open 364 days a year, it's easy to slot the museum into almost any Christchurch itinerary. Whether you arrive as a motorcycle enthusiast or simply curious, you'll leave understanding why John Britten remains a Kiwi legend — and why this corner of Cambridge Terrace has become one of the city's most inspiring experiences.