Little River Gallery sits on the Christchurch–Akaroa Road in the small settlement of Little River, about 40 minutes' drive from Christchurch and a natural stopping point for anyone heading to Akaroa. Open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm, the gallery describes itself as New Zealand's favourite destination gallery, and its combination of changing exhibitions and a deep, ever-refreshed stockroom makes it far more than a quick roadside call-in.
Inside — and online — the shop lists well over a thousand works (1,398 products at the time of writing) from dozens of New Zealand artists. Painters working in acrylic, oil and mixed media with resin sit alongside makers like the Creative Clay studio, with subject matter ranging from florals and wetlands to native birds such as the kotuku and rural, equine scenes. Recent arrivals include Anna Stichbury's Little Blooms, Pocket Posy 7 and the Colour Garden series, alongside larger canvases like Wetland Water Blooms and Material Girl.
The gallery runs a rolling exhibition programme, promoting current and upcoming shows alongside an archive of past exhibitions. On now is Untethered, a solo show by Jacqui Gibbs Chamberlain running 29 August to 21 September 2026. A curated online store of books, gift and functional ware showcasing homegrown artisan craftspeople and designers is also flagged as coming soon.
Visitors can reach the gallery on +64 3 325 1944 or [email protected], join the mailing list for news, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
There are galleries you plan to visit, and there are galleries you stumble upon and never forget. Little River Gallery, on the Christchurch–Akaroa Road in the settlement of Little River, manages to be both: a deliberate destination for art lovers and an irresistible roadside discovery for anyone making the classic drive from Christchurch out to Akaroa. The gallery sits about 40 minutes from the city, opens seven days a week from 9am to 5pm, and bills itself as New Zealand's favourite destination gallery and a must-visit en route to Akaroa — a claim the walls work hard to back up.
Little River Gallery is no static display space. It runs a rolling calendar of current and upcoming exhibitions and maintains a full archive of past shows, so the walls are always turning over. At the time of writing, the featured exhibition is Untethered, a solo show by Jacqui Gibbs Chamberlain running from 29 August to 21 September 2026.
The gallery's own featured imagery hints at the breadth on offer — works titled Hoofing It, Prize Winner, The Quiet Partnership and Solitude Stride share the spotlight with Arrival of the Sacred Kotuku, a nod to New Zealand's treasured white heron. Equine scenes, native birds and sweeping landscapes all have a home here.
Step inside — or browse the online shop — and the scale becomes clear: nearly 1,400 works are listed, spread across dozens of New Zealand artists. The roster runs from A to K and well beyond: Clare Reilly, Juliet Best, Kylie Matheson, Kirsty Nixon, Georgina Hoby Scutt, Jane Downes, Jennie de Groot, Dan Summers, Galina Kim, Brent Forbes, Hikurangi Edwards and the Creative Clay studio, among many others. Media range from crisp acrylics and framed oils to mixed-medium pieces with resin poured over board.
The current new arrivals give a taste of the house style. Anna Stichbury's floral works — Little Blooms, Pocket Posy 7, Wetland Water Blooms, It's All Peachy and the Colour Garden series — run from small 160mm board pieces right up to a framed 800 x 1000mm canvas, while Material Girl stretches to 1070 x 810mm. Whether your taste runs to blooms and wetlands or to native birds and rural life, there is genuinely something for most walls.
Buying is straightforward. Every work in the online shop lists its artist, medium and exact dimensions, and the site carries shipping and returns information for anyone purchasing from a distance. The collection can be filtered by artist, which makes it easy to follow a favourite painter or maker over time.
For gift hunters, there is more to come: a curated online store of books, gift and functional ware showcasing the best of homegrown artisan craftspeople and designers is flagged as coming soon — well worth watching.
The gallery welcomes visitors any day of the week at 4237 Christchurch Akaroa Road, Little River. Questions about specific works or exhibitions can go to +64 3 325 1944 or [email protected]. A mailing list, plus active Facebook and Instagram accounts, keep followers up to date with new arrivals and upcoming shows.
Because the doors open at 9am seven days a week, the gallery slots neatly into a day trip toward Akaroa — stop on the way out while the light is still morning-fresh, or on the way home when you have time to linger. Either way, allow a little longer than you planned: between the changing exhibitions and a stockroom this deep, a quick look has a way of becoming a long one.