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 (commenced 2023)
- base isolation for the McDougall Building and development of new basement storage (commencing 2024 and expected completion mid-2025), 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: Ground floor strengthening |
| 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 | |
| NZ Government | |
| Canterbury Museum | |
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The NZ Government committed NZ$25 million in grant funding to the project. The remaining NZ$135 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. Canterbury Museum's funding contribution is derrived from local authority funders, Christchurch, and Hurunui, Selwyn and Waimakariri District Councils – together with government contributions from the Greater Christchurch Regeneration continency funding and the Regional Culture and Heritage Fund, and a grant from the Lottery Grants Board. |
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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. |
| Sep 2023 | The New Zealand Government’s Regional Culture and Heritage Fund contributed an additional $10 million toward the project. |
| Nov 2023 | Demolition underway. |
| Mar 2024 | Canterbury Museum announced the completion of demolition works of the Centennial Wing, the Garden Court building, and Duff Wing. Construction on the Robert McDougall Gallery is scheduled to now commence. The Museum also announced it had secured $160 million of the $175 million total estimated cost of the redevelopment. |
