Leaked report suggests $66m for museum

A report councils didn’t want the public to see recommends the Southland museum building adjacent to Queens Park be retained and developed at a cost of $66 million.

With the pyramid building being closed due to public safety concerns nearly two years ago, the Southland Museum and Art Gallery board asked strategic planner Tim Walker to compile a report looking at future museum options for Invercargill.

Walker’s report was finalised eight months ago and the museum board wanted to release it to the public.

However, the Invercargill City Council and Southland District Council have successfully asked the board not to release it since then, until they have discussed its contents.

Despite this, The Southland Times has obtained a copy of the two- voume report, titled Reinventing the Southland Museum.

The report recommends the pyramid building be retained and developed at an estimated cost of $66m, to be completed in 2023-24.

The funding plan, which Walker describes as challenging but achievable, suggests $22m from Southland’s councils, $22m from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, $6m from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund, $12m from Lotteries and Trusts and $4m from partnerships and fundraising.

The Invercargill City Council has already committed $9.5m for the museum development in its long term plan.

Walker’s report says a range of costed approaches were developed and four museum options were looked at.

■ Option one was do nothing.

■ Option two was upgrade the pyramid [including seismic] with or without a small glazed extension on the north face.

■ Option three was demolish the pyramid building and replace with a new two level building in the same area.

■ Option four was demolish the pyramid building and relocate the museum to an existing refurbished commercial building near the city centre.

An option not considered in the report was to just strengthen the pyramid building so the museum could be reopened.

Walker’s report says: ‘‘Based on assessment of both cost and value, the recommended option is to retain and develop the pyramid building.’’

The report says there is public support to retain the pyramid, the structure is seen to have unique advantages in terms of its relationship with Queens Park, its height is seen as an advantage [a new building is likely to be two stories only], it has ‘‘rich mana whenua references’’ and it has value in terms of brand.

The report says the redevelopment design brief should ensure the museum includes a children focussed discovery centre, destination cafe, multi-functional and flexible spaces, space to allow for functions and events, indoor outdoor flow, increased activitybased space, climate control, digital infrastructure and security.

Following the closure of the museum in April 2018 it had been clear many people in Southland valued their museum deeply, the report says. However, many people interviewed for the report said they didn’t visit it when it was open, it was only a good place to go when it was raining and its exhibitions didn’t change.

Last week, it was revealed the pyramid museum building belongs to the Invercargill City Council and not the museum trust board, as thought for many years.

It is unclear when the decision makers will decide whether to adopt the recommendations in the museum report or go in another direction.