This project is the proposed redevelopment of Canterbury Museum’s Rollerston Avenue site. The redevelopment is needed to protect the Museum’s heritage buildings and the 2.3 million objects in its collection, upgrade visitor facilities and improve the interior of the Museum to create a fit-for-purpose cultural facility.
Key aspects of the redevelopment include:
- improvements to the Robert McDougall Gallery Building including above-ground strengthening,
- base isolation for the McDougall Building, and
- a new three-storey building which will include mezzanine floors, multifunctional spaces such as a new lecture theatre, and increased exhibition space.
The project will be delivered sequentially, starting with above-ground strengthening works and ending with the construction of the new museum building. Each of these stages will be contracted separately.
The project has an estimated total cost of NZ$205 million, including NZ$175 million for the Museum building, and NZ$30 million to develop new exhibitions.
Key Dates
| Jun 2020 | Project Announcement |
| Mar 2023 | Construction Commencement: Robert McDougall Building |
| Dec 2023 | Expected Construction Commencement: Base Isolation |
| Dec 2025 | Expected Construction Completion: Robert McDougall Building |
| 2025 | Expected Construction Completion: Base Isolation |
| 2025 | Expected Construction Commencement: New Museum Building |
| 2028 | Expected Construction Completion: New Museum Building |
Funding contributions
| NZ Government | |
| Canterbury Museum | |
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The NZ Government committed NZ$25 million in grant funding to the project. The remaining NZ$125 million has been secured from Christchurch City Council, Waimakariri District Council, Hurunui District Council and Selwyn District Council, plus existing Museum fundraising, cash and investments, and earthquake insurance settlements. |
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PROJECT HISTORY
| Jun 2020 | Canterbury Museum announced the project. |
| Oct 2020 | Concept designs were released. |
| Dec 2020 | Canterbury Museum submitted a resource consent application to Christchurch City Council for its proposed redevelopment. |
| Jul 2021 | Christchurch City Council granted resource consent to Canterbury Museum to proceed with its proposed redevelopment. |
| Jul 2022 | Canterbury Museum announced a budget increase from $195 million to $205 million |
| Oct 2022 | The NZ Government committed NZ$25 million in grant funding to the project, bringing the Museums total secured funding to NZ$150 million. The remaining NZ$125 million has been secured from Christchurch City Council, Waimakariri District Council, Hurunui District Council and Selwyn District Council, plus existing Museum fundraising, cash and investments, and earthquake insurance settlements. |
| Mar 2023 | Cook Brothers Construction commenced above-ground strengthening works on the Robert McDougall Gallery Building. |
| Apr 2023 | The museum officially closed for redevelopment. |
| May 2023 | Ceres New Zealand began early works on the project, with demolition works expected to commence in August. Canterbury Museum also announced a plan to contract March Construction later in the year for the base isolation works, and then begin a procurement process for the construction of the new museum building. |
2020/10/10
2020/12/07
2021/07/27
2022/07/20
2022/10/12
2023/03/27
2023/05/23
