The 10 Best Shopping in South Island, New Zealand

At the Wilderness Gallery award winning wildlife and landscape photographer Juergen Schacke's stunning photography is complemented by a variety of unique handcrafted giftware by handpicked New Zealand artists - jewellery, woodware, pottery, sculptures, bronze, stone all 100% New Zealand made. Artwork can be packed and shipped worldwide. Lately the Gallery has introduced new artwork from some of New Zealand finest artists: Marc Zuckerman MZ design contemporary woodware, Chris Weaver pottery, Jay Lloyd bronze artist, Mark Dimock wood carver /sculpturer. Aden Hoglund and Peter Bishop- jade carvers.

A little gem in The Catlins, artist Blair Somerville's intricately crafted automata are wonderfully irreverent. The bamboozling collection in the house bus ($ free) is a teaser for the brilliantly eccentric Winding Thoughts Theatre ($8). Push buttons, wind handles, all is about movement here (Entry 13+ yrs). For coffee and bakeries, say hi to Carol in the Little Rocket and cuddle Ginny the Gypsy dog. Open in summer (end Oct – end April). Wednesdays closed.

Interactive Wooden Art Gallery, RARE CREATIONS offers Contemporary Furniture and a huge range of related wooden art and technical kit sets from 3 to 99 years old to bring back the lost creativity. It is the only gallery where it is almost compulsory to touch as we have many technical moving toys and sculptures.

Vintage Store selling goodies from the past 100 years: retro, mid century, antiques home ware, vintage car accessories, old road signs, two wheeled transports,items from New Zealand's pioneering & farming past, NZ books, records/vinyl, retro camping gear, old toys, old tools for carpentry, farming, mechanical. Small vintage souvenirs and Dust & Rust merchandise ( hand printed t-shirts, tea towels, postcards, fridge magnets ). All housed in the iconic & picturesque Commercial Stables, a Historic Place Trust registered unique historic building, the oldest in New Zealand.

A leading Nelson working art studio and gallery, open every day except Mondays. Leading edge, controversial, art with a message. Contemporary themes with award-winning artistic excellence.

The Dunedin Public Art Gallery is one of New Zealand's four major metropolitan art galleries. Established in 1884, the Gallery was New Zealand’s first Art Gallery and is renowned today for the richness of its historic collection and its close working relationship with major New Zealand artists. The Gallery houses a signifcant collection of New Zealand artworks covering the period from 1860 to the present. The collection also contains major holdings of historical European art, Japanese prints and the decorative arts. Historical works by renowned artists such as Turner, Gainsborough, Claude, and Machiavelli feature alongside the only Monet in a New Zealand collection and master works by Derain, Tissot, Burne-Jones and internationally acclaimed Dunedin artist Frances Hodgkins. The collection is fundamental to the Gallery’s exhibition programme, but many works of art are also sourced from other public and private collections in New Zealand and internationally. The Gallery presents a wide-ranging events programme of interesting lectures, floor talks, film and video screenings, performances and workshops. There are regular guided tours for key exhibitions or by arrangement. Located right in the heart of Dunedin, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery is within easy walking distance from a large number of hotels and on all major public transport routes. There are disabled facilities, the award-winning Nova cafe, a wonderful shop and free wi-fi in the Gallery foyer.

The Happiest Garden on Earth..! Garden of International Significance.. A Josie Martin creation.. Colourful, beautiful balance between garden and art. Don’t miss the fun DVD playing in the contemporary art gallery. Terraced gardens with sculptures and incredible mosaics. Very Unique. A creative feast and a wonderful experience. Only a few minutes walk from the centre of Akaroa.terraced gardens are full of surprises -expect the unexpected at The Giant's House!