Government commits $25m to Cantebury Museum earthquake strengthening

The government is putting $25 million towards seismic strengthening for the Canterbury Museum’s $205 million redevelopment.

But the museum is facing significant budget shortfall with another $25 million being sought for construction before work begins in six months time.

The museum situated in central Christchurch needs base isolation and structural strengthening, with the entire project expected to take five years.

Significant existing issues with the buildings were exacerbated by the Canterbury earthquakes in 2011.

Before Covid-19, the museum attracted more than 800,000 visitors annually.

Associate Finance Minister Megan Woods announced the grant during a ceremony attended by several of the region’s community leaders at the museum on Wednesday.

She said the money was conditional on the museum using the funds for seismic strengthening and covering the budget shortfall itself.

“We’ve been working really closely with the museum around what was left in the earthquake contingency,” she said.

“There was never any funding put aside for the museum in the original plans for central government to assist.

“We haven’t come to this figure overnight.”

Assistant Finance Minister Megan Woods.
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Construction is expected to cost $175 million with a portion for contingencies built into the total.

The government’s grant takes the confirmed funding total to $150 million, leaving a remaining $25 million outstanding.

Another $30 million has been set aside for new exhibitions which the museum hopes it can raise over the next four years.

Christchurch City Councillors voted last month to release $53 million for the project to avoid cost escalations of half-a-million dollars a month if the project was pushed back.

This was despite a funding deadline on the project being missed.

A previous agreement between the council and the museum outlining conditions funds would only be provided if all the funding for the project had been secured by 31 December, 2021.

Canterbury Museum director Anthony Wright said he was “very confident” it could find the remaining $25 million for construction.

The museum was in discussions with Lotteries funding and the Regional Culture and Heritage Fund, which is run by Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, he said.

Canterbury Museum director Anthony Wright. File photo.
Photo: supplied/Canterbury Museum

The Canterbury Museum Trust board chair David Ayers said the grant was “vital to the project’s viability.”

“Without this crucial contribution from the government, we could not redevelop the museum and address the issues that threaten it’s future,” he said.

The museum will close its doors early next year with work underway to move items into storage will galleries set to be packed down.

Minister Woods said she has fond memories of the museum.

“My memories of this museum as a child have been really formative,” she said.

“I’m a New Zealand historian by training.”

A final farewell exhibition will be held before the museum closes in April.