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 committment 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.

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.

  • 2018

    Southland Museum and Art Gallery closes due to seismic risk

  • 2021

    Invercargill City Council commits funding for the redevelopment of the museum. A Museum Governance Group is appointed.

  • 2022

    Community consultation supports building a new museum

  • 2023

    Demolition of the former museum begins

  • 2024

    Te Pātaka Taoka Southern Regional Collections Facility is opened. Te Moutere - Tuatara Island, in the Queens Park animal reserve, is opened to the public. The first sod is turned at the site for Te Unua Museum of Southland.

  • 2026

    Construction of the building is set to be complete.

  • 2027

    Te Unua Museum of Southland will be officially opened to the public, following the interior fit-out of the museum.