Museum redevelopment

When is Te Unua Museum of Southland expected to open?

Physical construction of Te Unua will be completed by the end of September 2026, and the building will be handed over by our design and build contractors, Naylor Love, to Invercargill City Council.

The remainder of work needed to get the museum ready for opening – including the internal fit-out, the installation of both our long-term and temporary exhibitions, landscaping and exterior works, and finalising operational readiness details, such as getting our retail sale systems and on-site café set up – is well under way.

This period will also include time to complete Code of Compliance requirements and identify any build defects, which is standard following the completion of a commercial building.

Council is working to a project completion date of 1 October 2027. A public opening date will be confirmed by mid-2027.

Why couldn’t more work be carried out before the physical build was completed?

When you are building a significant regional facility like Te Unua from scratch, there is a huge number of different workstreams to balance as you go: from completing the internal fit-out of large-scale exhibitions, to fine-tuning operational details such as getting the point-of-sale system used by our front-of-house staff ready to go.

We identified the work that could be carried out before the physical completion of the build, however other parts of the project – for example, the installation of our exhibitions – could not be efficiently or safely undertaken while construction was still under way. The objects and taoka that will be used in our exhibitions are historically and culturally significant, and their handling has to be extremely carefully managed.

Our contract with visitor experience company, Gibson International, which includes delivering the long-term exhibition showcasing the stories of Southland at Te Unua, is scheduled to be completed by June 2027. In addition, four temporary exhibitions at the regional museum’s opening will be delivered by our in-house museum and heritage services team.

It has been necessary to stagger the final installation of the exhibitions, because each of the galleries they will go into are interconnected and rely on shared access routes, loading areas, and staging spaces. Our staff also have to carefully sequence their work to make sure exhibitions, and the objects and taoka within them, are delivered safely and effectively. It’s not feasible for all of that work to happen at the same time, and we have to take a very considered, staged approach as we get to the pointy end of delivering Te Unua for our community.

If the project is expected to be completed by 1 October 2027, does that mean it will open the next day?

We know our community is really looking forward to the opening of Murihiku Southland’s new museum, and we are really looking forward to welcoming manuhiri (visitors) to Te Unua as soon as we’re able to.

We haven’t set, or announced, a specific opening date yet because there are a number of key details that need to be determined and confirmed much closer to the time. These include, but aren’t limited to, the availability of attendees and dignitaries, and aligning with our regional events calendar.

We want the opening of Te Unua to be an incredible and memorable experience, and we’re looking forward to sharing it with as many people as we can.

How long has the project taken so far?

As with any significant project – and Te Unua Museum of Southland is one of the biggest infrastructure investments in Invercargill in a generation – there is a huge amount of public consultation, planning, and preparation that has to be completed before you can pick up the tools. Physical construction on the new museum began in 2024, and the shell of the western building was completed at the end of 2025. Construction of the physical building itself will be completed in September 2026, and the remainder of work needed to get the museum ready will continue into 2027.

When will a public opening date be confirmed?

We expect to have greater certainty around an official opening date by mid-2027, after work to begin exhibition installation progresses.

We are excited to share updates to the public as soon as we have accurate, confirmed information to share. We’re really looking forward to welcoming everybody to Te Unua as soon as possible, and hope you’re excited to see it too.

Who is constructing the museum? Are they local?

After a tender process, Naylor Love was selected to manage the design and construction of Te Unua Museum of Southland. Naylor Love staff from throughout the South Island, including Invercargill, have been hard at work building the facility. Naylor Love has hired a number of subcontractors, which included staff local to our region. Many of those involved in the project are people who live and work in Southland.

How big will the museum be?

Te Unua Museum of Southland will measure in at a whopping 3348m2 in total, including 1408m2 dedicated solely to exhibitions. This will include a long-term exhibition sharing the story of Southland, as well as temporary exhibition gallery spaces.

Along with exhibition spaces, what other amenities will it include?

Te Unua Museum of Southland will include an on-site café with a sensational aspect overlooking Queens Park, a retail area, a multi-functional education space, children’s play spaces, and back-of-house areas including a workshop, storage spaces and offices.

How did Te Unua Museum of Southland get its name?

Te Unua Museum of Southland will incorporate a striking double-hulled waka, linking the north and south aspects of the building. Our new museum draws its name – graciously gifted to Invercargill City Council by Waihōpai Rūnaka on behalf of the four papatipu rūnaka of the region (Waihōpai, Awarua, Hokonui, and Ōraka-Aparima) – from the double-hulled voyaging canoe that serves as a centrepiece within our museum’s design.

What does the double-hulled waka signify?

The double-hulled waka reflects several dualities important to the essence of both the space and our community: mana whenua and tauiwi, past and future, and coast and urban. It is a celebration of the rich tapestry of culture, landscape, and history woven into the fabric of the Murihiku region – much like the stories that will unfold within our museum itself.

What will the waka be made of?

The double-hulled waka will be crafted using structural steel, locally and sustainably-sourced southern beech, and Trespa (a wood-like laminate).

Where exactly will Te Unua Museum of Southland be?

Te Unua Museum of Southland can be at the same site as the former Southland Museum and Art Gallery. The museum can be found on the southern boundary of the award-winning Queens Park, near Victoria Avenue. The museum is a short walk from the city centre of Invercargill. The perimeter fencing around the site offers people an up-close-and-personal view of all of the work being carried out: next time you’re visiting Queens Park, make sure you check it out.

How do I pronounce Te Unua, and what does it mean?

The name for our new museum, Te Unua Museum of Southland, was graciously gifted to Invercargill City Council by Waihōpai Rūnaka. It refers to te unua – the double-hulled waka that forms the striking centrepiece of our build. This waka has a deeper meaning: it reflects several dualities, which will be explored in depth within the museum experience – land and sea, tangata whenua and tauiwi, and more. The phonetic pronunciation of our new museum goes a little something like this: Tear-OO-Noo-Ah.

What items will be on display in the new museum?

We can’t wait to share details of the exhibitions you’re set to discover at Te Unua Museum of Southland. We can’t give too much away just yet, but we think our community will love seeing its shared stories and treasures reflected in our region’s new museum. This experience will also give manuhiri a deep understanding of our place in the world, and what makes it so special. Visitors can expect to see some special treasures they will recognise, and others that may be on display for the first time, with new stories to explore and enjoy.

Why will there be so many digital elements in the new museum?

Digital elements will be used to enhance and complement the narratives and storytelling found within our region’s new museum. Rest assured, having a keen focus on digital elements in no way attempts to replace the importance or reverence of taoka within Te Unua Museum of Southland. It also doesn’t simply equate to “more screens”, either. Instead, digital elements will complement the artefacts found within the experience at Te Unua Museum of Southland, and vice versa. As in any modern museum, Te Unua Museum of Southland will rely on several storytelling elements and techniques working in tandem with one another, thoughtfully curated to give visitors a fully-immersive, deeply-engaging insight into the stories of our region’s past, present, and future.

Will items from the old Southland Museum and Art Gallery be displayed at Te Unua?

Of course! We are extremely fortunate in that our region is home to a rich tapestry of stories and taoka. You will definitely spot some beloved and familiar items when you visit us.

How do you decide what items will make it to the new museum?

Our incredible museum and heritage services team has been working hard behind the scenes alongside our visitor experience design contractor Gibson International. Together, they have been hard at work, researching and deciding the items whose stories will add an authentic, engaging, and thought-provoking narrative to our experience. Each item that will take its place in Te Unua Museum of Southland has been carefully selected by our team of experts, to add another layer to our storytelling.

Will the exhibitions at Te Unua Museum of Southland ever change?

The jewel in our crown will be a long-term exhibition that celebrates what makes our region special. 782m2 of gallery space will be dedicated to this. However, an additional 626m2 will make up our temporary exhibition galleries. These galleries will be used for regularly-changing exhibitions curated by our team, or touring exhibitions from elsewhere in New Zealand and beyond.

Will Te Unua Museum of Southland be environmentally-friendly?

Te Unua Museum of Southland is committed to being a sustainable and environmentally-friendly facility. In fact, Te Unua Museum of Southland will be the first museum in Aotearoa New Zealand to attain Green Star accreditation. Green Star is Australasia’s largest voluntary sustainability rating system for non-residential builds. It assesses the environmental performance of buildings, across categories such as energy and water consumption, waste management, indoor air quality, and use of sustainable building materials.

Will there be a café on-site?

Yes! Our city’s new museum will also boast an on-site café that brings the outdoors in. Our region is blessed with sensational produce, and our food and beverage offering will showcase the best in Southland’s cuisine – from the mountains to the sea.

Will Te Unua Museum of Southland be family-friendly?

Southland’s new museum will absolutely become a must-do for families visiting Invercargill. All ages will love Te Unua, and it has been designed to be a family and child-friendly facility – with engaging experiences for all ages in our exhibitions and through our events and activities programme. Dedicated indoor and outdoor children’s play spaces will no doubt be a hit with little ones and their caregivers alike. This space will be one where future generations can begin to create memories of a place that feels like home.

Will Te Unua Museum of Southland be accessible and inclusive?

Whether manuhiri hail from throughout our region, or the far-flung corners of the globe, the interior and exterior spaces of our new museum will encourage a greater connection to both people and place. Te Unua Museum of Southland is committed to being an inclusive and accessible space for all who visit it. Accessibility has been a key focus since the early stages of development of the new museum, both from an architectural/design perspective as well as the development of the experience spaces. Te Unua Museum of Southland will cater to visitors of all abilities, and will include features such as accessible amenities, seating, and counters, interpretated content wherever possible, and inclusive programming for temporary exhibitions and special events.

The new museum isn’t open yet, but I have an item I want to donate to your collection. Can I still do this?

While we are preparing for the reopening of Te Unua Museum of Southland we have put a hold on new acquisitions for the collection.If you have an item you would like to donate to the collection, we still encourage you to get in touch with the teamso we can take your details and provide more information about our acquisition process. Please contact office@teunua.nz

How much will Te Unua Museum of Southland cost to build?

The investment into Te Unua Museum of Southland will preserve, cherish, and celebrate the shared heritage and history of our region for generations to come. The total cost for Te Unua is $76.8 million.
The cost to complete the museum, Te Pātaka Taoka Southern Regional Collections Facility, and Te Moutere – Tuatara Island in total was approximately $87m. Of this, Council will fund $76.7 million. The remainder will be made up of external funding from community organisations. More than $10 million in external funding has already been committed to the project. We will continue to work with our partners, and seek additional external funding.

I want to support the museum – how can I do that?

Te Unua Museum of Southland is a once-in-a-lifetime project that will benefit generations, and it would not be possible to bring our new museum to life without the generosity of others. If you, or your organisation, is interested in coming on board as a supporter of the project, we would love to discuss this with you. Please reach out to Commercial and Partnerships Manager Courtney Ellison: courtney.ellison@teunua.nz

Have any community organisations, or similar, helped with the funding?

Yes, Southland is fortunate to be home to community organisations that celebrate projects that champion our region. To date, Community Trust South has donated a total of $5 million to the project; meanwhile, ILT has donated a total of $1.5 million in funding. Our team is hugely appreciative of the support Te Unua Museum of Southland has received from our community.

What is Te Pātaka Taoka - Southern Regional Collections Facility?

Te Pātaka Taoka is our purpose-built collection storage and care facility. This is where we house, manage and care for heritage collections, and make them available for researchers.

Where is Te Pātaka Taoka?

Our storage facility is in Tisbury, on the outskirts of the city, and was built on a former Council reserve.

When was Te Pātaka Taoka opened?

Construction of Te Pātaka Taoka was completed in December 2023, and was officially opened in early 2024.

Why do we need a storage facility?

Te Pātaka Taoka ensures that our precious taoka are protected and cared for appropriately, for generations to come. This facility provides a place to care for and manage a number of heritage and art collections in the region. At any one time, only a small percentage of these will be on display. Given the size and other requirements for the facility, Council decided to build a standalone facility, to enable most of the new museum building at Queens Park to be used for public-facing museum services, such as exhibitions.

Is Te Pātaka Taoka open to the public?

Te Pataka is not yet open to the public. If you have an enquiry relating to collections you wish to access, please contact office@teunua.nz

What is Te Moutere – Tuatara Island?

Te Moutere – Tuatara Island is the new home for a Southland icon, and a living link to both our past and our future. The tuatara facility at Queens Park signifies our commitment to ensuring the story of Invercargill’s resident tuatara population continues for those who come after us. Te Moutere – Tuatara Island is an important educational resource for both residents and visitors.

Where is Te Moutere?

Te Moutere – Tuatara Island can be found within the Animal Reserve at our award-winning Queens Park.

When can I visit Te Moutere?

Te Moutere welcomes visitors daily, between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Does it cost to visit?

No, visiting Te Moutere is completely free for locals and manuhiri alike.No, visiting Te Moutere is completely free for locals and manuhiri alike.

When was Te Moutere opened?

Te Moutere – Tuatara Island was proudly opened to the public on Friday, June 7, 2024. The completion of this project is a significant milestone for Invercargill, reflecting our commitment to conservation and to enhancing Invercargill's cultural assets.

Can I take photographs or videos during my visit?

Absolutely! Please ensure you respect this precious species during your visit – but as long as you are not disturbing our tuatara residents, photography and videography are welcome.

Can people with limited mobility visit Te Moutere?

Yes, those with limited mobility can still enjoy a visit to Te Moutere. Our pathways have been designed to accommodate everybody.

Is Te Moutere an indoor or outdoor facility?

While our tuatara residents are kept snug from the elements, inside the facility, visitors must remain outside. Don’t worry – Te Moutere has been designed with visibility of the tuatara habitat in mind.

Tuatara were formerly housed at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery – why have they been moved?

The decision to create a tuatara enclosure was made to ensure the wellbeing of our city’s tuatara population. Designed by the Christchurch-based architectural firm Studio4 and brought to life by Calder Stewart's Invercargill branch, this state-of-the-art facility provides a species-specific habitat for this treasured taoka. The enclosure's sophisticated design, which includes expansive viewing windows, burrows for the tuatara, and specialised care facilities, embodies best practices in animal welfare and habitat simulation.

Who owns the tuatara?

Council does not own the tuatara but has engaged with iwi – Ngāti Koata, Te Atiawa, and Kāi Tahu – and other stakeholders, such as the Department of Conservation, on a "best-for-species" approach to Te Moutere. This project has reaffirmed our collective dedication to preserving the tuatara for future generations.

Will I be able to view the tuatara when I visit Te Moutere?

While we can’t guarantee you will be able to spot any tuatara – they do their own thing, after all! – if you hang around long enough, chances are you will catch a glimpse of a tuatara or two. (Or more, especially on a sunny day – our tuatara love to catch some rays.)

Tell me about the tuatara residents who call Te Moutere – Tuatara Island home?

Invercargill’s resident tuatara population ranges from juvenile, or baby, tuatara through to fully-grown adults. Of course, our most famous tuatara is the man himself. Henry is our oldest living tuatara – he is estimated to clock in at up to a whopping 140 years old. He certainly has seen plenty of change happening throughout our city in his time!

What is the Tuatara Trail?

A new walking route has been created through Queens Park. The Tuatara Trail connects the former home of the tuatara at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery to their new habitat in the Animal Reserve. It can be accessed from various points within Queens Park, providing a great opportunity for walkers to explore the park. The Tuatara Trail features 20 bollards along its route, featuring QR codes that provide additional information about tuatara, their new enclosure, and our mahi to bring Te Moutere, Te Pātaka Taoka, and Te Unua Museum of Southland to life.

I’ve never been to Invercargill, but I want to visit once Te Unua Museum of Southland opens! What else can I see and do in Invercargill?

Invercargill is a wonderful destination for visitors. While you’re in town, make sure you stop in at our inner-city transitional museum and art space He Waka Tuia, check out the inner-city upgrade at Invercargill Central and its surrounds, spend plenty of time at the award-winning Queens Park, and don’t miss a trip down to Bluff – you can’t visit town without snapping a pic at the iconic Stirling Point Sign! Adventure-seekers will also love zipping round the recently-completed Te Wahi Tākaro o Motupōhue – Bluff Adventure Park.

Are there any national parks in Invercargill or Southland?

Southland is home to not one, but two, stunning national parks – Fiordland National Park and Rakiura National Park.

Stewart Island (Rakiura) lies about 30 kilometres southwest of Bluff. New Zealand’s third island is home to pristine beaches, coastal forest, a plethora of native wildlife such as kiwi, seals, and penguins, and a truly fascinating history.

Meanwhile, Fiordland National Park is a true national treasure. Internationally-recognised as part of the wider UNESCO World Heritage site, Te Wāhipounamu (Place of the Greenstone), it is home to stunning glaciers, alpine ranges, and mountain-to-sea vistas that have to be seen to be believed.