Our history

Te Unua Museum of Southland stands on the strong foundations of the Southland Museum and Art Gallery – a beloved institution that served our community for generations.

The background

In April 2018, Southland Museum and Art Gallery was closed after it was deemed an earthquake risk. It soon became clear significant work would be required to bring it up to modern standards. Equally, it was clear Southlanders had a deep affinity with the museum, and aspirations for its future. Our community told us they wanted a vibrant, modern, inclusive space that would honour our past while embracing new ways of sharing stories, collections, and taoka.

A conversation with our community

In the 2021 – 2031 Long-term Plan, after robust conversations with our community, Invercargill City Council made a commitment to undertake a major museum redevelopment. A governance group was appointed to explore the options, and after further consultation in 2022, Council made the decision to build a brand-new museum on the same site in Queens Park.

Looking to the future

The project moved into a new phase: one that prioritised innovation, community engagement, and cultural leadership.
Our new museum, Te Unua Museum of Southland, is not just a replacement.

We're building a space that looks forward, while holding close the stories and memories that have shaped us.

The new facility is designed to foster connections – to whenua, to each other, and to the broader world – through dynamic exhibitions, shared learning, and spaces for reflection and creativity.

Te Unua represents a new chapter – one written with our community, focused on our unique place in the world, looking confidently towards the future.

It’s a transformation.

We're building a space that looks forward, while holding close the stories and memories that have shaped us. The new facility is designed to foster connections – to whenua, to each other, and to the broader world – through dynamic exhibitions, shared learning, and spaces for reflection and creativity. Te Unua represents a new chapter – one written with our community, focused on our unique place in the world, looking confidently towards the future.