Police are investigating an apparent kidnapping attempt at Canterbury Museum.
Police say a man approached two primary school students at the museum on Wednesday and asked to "go outside" with him.
The mother of one of the children, Dot Singh, said the man had approached her daughter, who was at the museum with a school group on Wednesday.
Singh said her daughter had moved ahead of the group when the man stopped her. The girl did not follow the man.
"It's really upsetting to know that actually our children aren't safe in a place where our children should be," Singh said.
She said her daughter was safe and "extremely lucky".
A Canterbury Museum spokesperson confirmed they had been notified about the incident, but declined to comment further.
Christchurch Police Detective Sergeant Tania Jellyman urged people to "be alert, not alarmed" after the incident.
She said parents should take the opportunity to speak with their children about how to handle approaches from strangers.