Tensions rise over museum opening date

“I hear all kinds of potential dates, from the middle to late next year. Others say it could be well into the following year, and I heard someone mutter in the meeting it could be 2028-2029."

Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark is unhappy about suggestions the city’s new museum will not open in 2026 as initially stated.

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Tensions are simmering at the Invercargill City Council around when the city’s long-awaited new museum will actually open to the public.

The museum development has been dubbed “Project 1225” because of the plan to have the shell of the building completed by December 2025.

The Project 1225 website states the museum will then be “opened to the public in the second half of 2026” after the interior fit-out.

However, it has been suggested it won’t open next year, with talk that it could even stretch into 2028.

And that has not gone down well with Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark.

The matter was discussed behind closed doors last week at a meeting that is believed to have involved some robust exchanges between council staff and elected members around the opening timeframe.

Following that meeting, Mayor Clark sent an email to council CEO Michael Day and copied in his councillors.

The Southland Tribune has seen that email.

Clark wrote in the email that he was concerned by what he heard at last Tuesday’s meeting.

He asked staff to prepare a report for a July 1 meeting, which, amongst other things, will provide a projected timeframe for the museum opening.

“I expect that [opening to] be no later than the end of 2026 (which is 15 months away) and I would expect you to reinforce this with your management team,” Clark wrote to CEO Michael Day.

Speaking to The Tribune on Monday, Clark confirmed he was surprised by last week’s update that the museum opening isn’t expected to happen in 2026.

“Depending on who you talk to, you get a different view on when the museum will actually be open,” Clark said.

“I hear all kinds of potential dates, from the middle to late next year… others say it could be well into the following year, and I heard someone mutter in the meeting the other day that it could be 2028-2029.

“I just want some clarity around that because I was quite clear when we set out to start with this was a three-year build with a fit-out to follow.

“[The staff] gave a commitment that it would be held to those deadlines. I’ve now got some staff saying they don’t agree with the deadlines, and there was nothing ever in writing about it.

“Well, I know quite clearly what I negotiated at the time. That is where the unease is.”

Day pointed The Tribune to a March 4 meeting where it was indicated to councillors that the public opening date for the Te Unua Museum of Southland could be extended into 2027.

“Council does not have a firm opening date or timeframe to share at this stage, however, this is being worked through as quickly as possible,” Day said.

He confirmed an update would be provided at the council’s infrastructure and projects committee meeting on July 1.

Invercargill City Council CEO Michael Day.

Mayor Clark noted the design and build contractor Naylor Love was doing a great job through the construction phase and was making good progress.

The external structure is on track to be completed at the end of 2025.

Naylor Love is scheduled to remain on site throughout 2026, to complete construction on the internal fitout and to complete additional site works.

It was Clark’s belief only six months would be required for work inside the museum, setting up what was referred to as “the experience”.

Gibson International has been enlisted to help work through the experience design.

Sorting the experience phase appears to be where the likely opening is being stretched into 2027 and possibly beyond.

“Why would it take more than a year to fit out a museum? Given that we have a pretty good idea of what we are doing,” Clark said.

“I’ve already seen the plans for the initial area, which is what they refer to as land, sea, and sky exhibition, which is at the front end of the fit-out.”

In December, there were issues raised by council staff around potential delays in getting iwi input to tell their story as part of the museum experience.

At the time, it was indicated it might push the opening date into 2027.

Although Clark said when he had talked to iwi representatives, he had been advised it was not the case.

Day said the council was working with Gibson International and Waihōpai Rūnaka, on behalf of the four papatipu rūnaka within Murihiku, on the next stage of the experience development.

“Part of this process is understanding how and when this work can be delivered. It is critical to work closely with a wide variety of people to ensure the end result reflects the many people, places, and faces that form the rich tapestry of our region,” Day said.

He added that the complexity of the project made the completion of Te Unua Museum of Southland one of the Invercargill City Council’s most critical infrastructure investments in a generation.

“It is important we get it right for our community, and the generations who follow,” Day told The Tribune.

“We understand the community is deeply invested and interested in the progress of Te Unua Museum of Southland, and we want to be able to share information on timeframes as soon as we can.

“We must also balance the need to ensure the information that we share is as accurate as possible,” Day said.

“Our teams are working hard, with a huge amount of work being undertaken in the background, to bring the museum to life.

“We are very appreciative of the understanding and patience of our community, as we work through the finer details in a dynamic, evolving, and challenging project.”

Mayor Clark said they would be “very active up to next Tuesday, and certainly the week that follows that” gathering information to better understand the situation.

He could not understand how the museum development could potentially stretch into late 2027.

“We built the city mall in less than that [time], and that included demolition of that massive block.

“So, you’ve got to ask, what’s going on? I don’t know what the delay is, but I’m going to find out.”

Lee Butcher had previously overseen Project 1225 before he departed the role of Invercargill City Council Project Management Office director in March.

The council has now brought in experienced Invercargill-based project manager Nick Hamlin.

The background…

The Southland Museum and Art Gallery closed its doors on April 12, 2018 after an assessment found it did not meet National Building Standards and was considered an earthquake risk.

It was determined significant work and cost would be needed to bring it to 67 percent of the standards – the minimum allowed for existing buildings.

In the 2021-2031 Long-term Plan, the Invercargill City Council committed to investing $38.4 million into redeveloping the museum.

A Museum Governance Group was appointed in 2021 to determine the future of the museum.

In 2022, the council considered whether it should strengthen the existing building or develop a new museum. Following consultation with the community during the 2022/2023 Annual Plan process, Council agreed to demolish the Southland Museum and Art Gallery to make way for a new build, at the same site in Queens Park.