The grounds around Invercargill's new regional museum are being reshaped, with landscaping works now under way as the Museum of Southland moves closer to its 2027 opening.
Pathways, planting, seating and gathering spaces are all part of an exterior programme designed to pull the museum, Queens Park and the inner city into tighter connection. The Gala St frontage is getting a particular workout — drainage and network infrastructure is going in to make the green spaces usable even in wet weather, which in Invercargill is not a minor consideration.
Council group manager community spaces and places Rex Capil said the landscaping was always going to be more than tidying up the edges.
"We view the redevelopment of our regional museum as a real opportunity to strengthen the relationship between Te Unua, and one of our city's most treasured green spaces," Capil said.
The building itself was designed with Queens Park in mind from the beginning — glass looking out over the park, outdoor dining and play areas, a mezzanine and an elevated terrace. The exterior works are meant to follow through on that logic.
"We want Te Unua to be a key regional attraction that encourages increased visitation to the city of Invercargill – whether that is by people who reside here, or have travelled from elsewhere. Queens Park is one of the crown jewels of our city, and it is an award-winning asset, and the development of Te Unua has been designed to complement and enhance the wider Invercargill experience," Capil said.
Existing pathways linking the museum to the CBD and the wider park will stay but be realigned and upgraded for better accessibility. Car park surfaces nearby will also be improved. Natural freeform mounds — informal, not manicured — will create casual seating areas throughout.
"We want Te Unua to be a space everybody can enjoy, no matter how they get here, from the moment they arrive," Capil said.
Sustainability features in the design too. A native planting swale between the museum and the former bowling club site will handle stormwater, and rain-garden planting similar to Esk St will be woven through the works. The car park will have 81 spaces, including six dedicated electric vehicle parks with charging infrastructure. Recycled material from the former Southland Museum and Art Gallery — bricks and concrete — has been used as fill beneath the new pathways.
An outdoor play space on the museum's northern side, next to the on-site café, is being developed jointly by the council's project management, museum and Parks teams.
Some familiar landmarks are temporarily absent. The Minerva and tuatara statues have been moved off-site while works continue. Perimeter fencing remains in place but will shift around as the programme progresses.
"There is a huge programme of works involved in bringing everything together, but we are confident the end result is one that our community will quite rightly feel proud of, and be able to enjoy," Capil said.