Pioneer Hall was built in 1916 as the headquarters of the Ashburton Hospital Board, however, this was short-lived and in the mid 1920s the County Engineers moved in and remained there until 1939.

It was then converted to become the town’s Women’s Rest Rooms and fulfilled this job admirably until 1971. The building was then leased to the Ashburton Historical Society and became Ashburton’s first Museum (renamed Pioneer Hall).

In 1978 the Museum relocated and the next few years saw it become a taxi office and from 1990 until 2004 it was headquarters for Birthright.

In 2007, Ashburton District Council granted the local branch of NZ Historic Places Trust a lease and it became Historic Places Mid Canterbury’s headquarters from 2014 until 2020.

The building is currently being restored and incorporated into a new Civic Centre/Library development, due for completion 2023.

• Heritage NZ Inventory - Link to be provided
• District Council Heritage - Link to be provided