The Invercargill City Council has confirmed a clear path forward for the opening of Te Unua Museum of Southland, with the new facility set to open to the public in 2027.
Councillors considered the museum’s opening timeline at a meeting today, where three options were presented for discussion.
Alternative options included a limited early opening in December 2026, allowing access to spaces such as the foyer, play area and café but excluding exhibition spaces. That option carried an estimated additional cost of between $500,000 and $1 million.
A second option involved opening partial exhibitions and the café in early 2027, with temporary exhibitions and limited areas available to the public. That approach was estimated to add between $1 million and $2 million to the project cost.
Deputy Mayor Grant Dermody, who oversees the Te Unua Museum of Southland portfolio, said the agreed timeline would give the public greater certainty around when the museum would be fully completed and operational.
He said the decision to open in 2027 reflected Council’s commitment to delivering a high-quality cultural facility that met community expectations.
“The people of Invercargill and Southland deserve a new museum that is compelling and complete. This decision ensures that we open the doors once – properly – rather than rushing, and compromising what our community has asked for,” he said.
The original timeframe outlined in Council’s Long-term Plan 2021–2031 proposed a public opening in 2027. While that timeline was later accelerated, those ambitions proved unachievable despite significant progress since construction began on site in November.
Dermody said the community had been clear in its desire to see the museum reopen as soon as possible, but not at the expense of quality or increased costs.
“Southlanders have been very clear: do it once, and do it right. This decision reflects exactly that,” he said.
Construction of the building is expected to be completed by September 2026. The subsequent fit-out phase will include the long-term Story of Southland exhibition, temporary galleries, and full operational readiness across education services, retail, café, front-of-house and back-of-house areas ahead of the 2027 opening.
Council said the agreed approach would keep the project within its current budget and align with professional advice from design, construction, and museum and heritage services partners.
The contract for the experience build has been confirmed with Gibson International. Next steps include finalising remaining construction cost items, completing the build, integrating surrounding areas within Queens Park, advancing exhibition development, continuing recruitment and operational planning, and ongoing collaboration with mana whenua partners.