Councils
The construction of Museum of Southland remains on schedule and within its approved budget as work continues on Invercargill’s new regional museum.
Elected members received an update on progress during the Invercargill City Council Community and Regulatory Committee meeting, where officials outlined the latest developments at the site in Queens Park.
Council Group Manager Capital Portfolio Jamie Garnett said the project continued to be carefully managed by lead contractor Naylor Love. Physical completion of the building itself remained on track for September, with all major elements currently staying within their allocated budgets.
“The next major phase of work on-site will be largely focused on the integration of the facility with Queens Park, including further development on the outdoor play space adjacent to the cafe as well as integration with the Jessie Calder Garden,” he said.
The Jessie Calder Garden, first planted in 1987, contains the largest and most comprehensive public collection of its kind in New Zealand. The garden includes more than 900 roses representing at least 400 different varieties.
Work designed to strengthen the connection between the museum and the garden is scheduled to begin next week. This stage will involve cutting through the existing wall along the southern edge of the garden to improve access and visual links between the two spaces.
Garnett said the council had engaged with members of Heritage Roses – Southland to ensure the well-known garden was properly considered as part of the museum development.
Construction of the new 80-space car park is also progressing well. The facility will include six electric vehicle charging spaces and is expected to be completed in the coming months.
The project has also reached a significant safety milestone. More than 100,000 work hours have been completed without a single lost-time injury, reflecting the project team’s strong focus on keeping workers safe.
In recent months, activity has increasingly shifted from structural construction to preparing the museum’s visitor experience and operational readiness.
Museum Director Eloise Wallace said experience contractor Gibson International was working closely with the council’s Museum and Heritage Services team, alongside local subject experts, artists, designers, fabricators, and manufacturers. The group is developing the museum’s long-term exhibition programme, which will highlight the stories and heritage of Southland.
The detailed design for the long-term exhibition experience is expected to be finalised by the end of March.
Planning is also continuing for exhibitions that will be displayed in the museum’s temporary gallery spaces.
At the same time, the council is progressing recruitment for key roles to support the museum’s opening, including the Team Leader Commercial and Operations position.