- Structural steel installed for the museum’s double-hulled waka above the public foyer space
- Western building nearly finished, eastern structure and terrace concrete pours progressing well
- Behind-the-scenes work includes experience design, partnerships, and educational planning
Construction at the Museum of Southland has reached another key stage, with major parts of the build now complete and progress continuing on schedule.
The Invercargill City Council’s regional museum project has taken clear shape. The site now features two main buildings – a western structure that will house the museum experience, and an eastern building for retail, café, education, and office spaces. These are now linked by a structural steel framework forming the double-hulled waka above the foyer.
Invercargill City Council Group Manager Capital Portfolio Jamie Garnett said the installation of the waka feature marked a significant step forward. “The double-hulled waka really is the crown jewel in terms of the architecture of the Museum of Southland, so to see it now in place really helps the community to envisage what their new museum will look like,” he said.
The roof has been completed on the western experience hall, and concrete has been poured for both the ground and first floors of the eastern building. This includes the areas that will house the café, retail spaces, and education zones. Concrete work on the elevated terrace is expected soon.
“Our upcoming concrete pours will easily take us over the 1000m³ mark – that’s a pretty significant amount of grey gold,” Garnett said.
Work on the foyer linking the two buildings is also due to begin shortly. Garnett acknowledged the importance of the museum for the region. “We know our new museum is a huge priority to the people of Invercargill and Murihiku. The Museum of Southland is coming to life quite rapidly now, so we hope our community is excited by its progress.”
Construction remains on schedule. The western building is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, while the eastern building and foyer are set to follow in early 2026. Plans for the museum’s public opening will be shared once confirmed.
Museum Director Eloise Wallace said planning work was progressing behind the scenes. “It is not often that a community has an opportunity to build a regional museum, and our team is really excited about the chance to share Southland’s stories in a meaningful, engaging way,” she said.
Wallace said her team is working with experience designers Gibson International, mana whenua, and other partners to develop the museum's content and displays. Work is also underway on educational materials, partnership building, and preparing heritage collections for display.
“Everybody working on the Museum of Southland right now – from the team working on the building site, to those working to prepare the region’s heritage collections for display – is putting a huge amount of care and pride into their mahi, which I have no doubt will be reflected in the facility our community will enjoy,” Wallace said.