Government grant helps future proof Canterbury Museum

A rebuild of Canterbury Museum is getting a seismic boost from the Government, with a one-off $25 million grant for base isolation and other seismic strengthening measures to protect Canterbury Museum visitors, staff, taonga and buildings.

 Associate Minister of Finance Dr Megan Woods made the announcement today.

 “The Museum cares for one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most significant collections of historic artefacts and natural history specimens, numbering more than 2.3 million objects with an estimated value of more than $1 billion,” Megan Woods said.

“Significant existing issues with the Museum buildings were exacerbated by the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. The Museum needs to add base isolation across most of its site to protect its buildings, the people inside them and the priceless taonga they contain. It also needs more space to showcase more of its treasures, which will enable Canterbury to host major touring exhibitions once again.

Demolition is scheduled to take around a year from April 2023, during which the heritage buildings will be retained and further strengthened. Construction will then take about three years and will involve excavating under most of the Museum site and the Robert McDougall Gallery to create a base-isolated basement.

“The Museum already had $125 million of the $175 million needed to complete the construction phase of its wider redevelopment project, made up of committed funds 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,” said Megan Woods.

“The Government’s contribution from Greater Christchurch Regeneration contingency funding takes this to $150 million – on the conditions that the Museum both uses the funds for the sole purpose of seismic strengthening, and raises the funds required to meet the construction budget shortfall.

 “Ōtākaro – the Crown-owned company delivering projects that the Government committed to following the earthquakes – will oversee a phased delivery of the grant, reinforcing that no additional funding for cost pressures will be provided or scope changes agreed.

 “This project is one of the last remaining before we can finally turn the page on the earthquakes and truly start a new chapter for Christchurch. As a Cantabrian, I look forward with anticipation to seeing the Museum brought up to the modern world-class standard it deserves as the South Island’s most visited tourist destination,” said Megan Woods.

 Further information is available on the Christchurch Museum website here