The partial reopening of the Canterbury Museum has proved a hit, with more than 8000 people visiting the museum in a week.

The building was partly reopened on July 2.

It had been closed since April while engineers assessed the building's earthquake risk.

Museum director Anthony Wright was confident numbers would continue to rise as the museum worked towards fully reopening next month.

"Given the fact that we are only partially open, our visitor numbers have been fantastic. We've had 8500 people through our doors," he said.

Wright said the Canterbury Quakes exhibition had proved immensely popular, and opening on the first day of the school holiday had helped to boost visitor numbers.

"The amount of support we have received reflects just how important the museum is to our local and international communities,'' he said.

''We have a strong reputation, and now more than ever we have a vital role to play in the recovery of our city."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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