By PHILIP ENGLISH
The Auckland Museum wants new exhibition and storage space, a theatre, underground parking and access to views from its roof.
And it is asking the Government for $46.5 million to do the work.
The Auckland War Memorial Museum Completion Project is expected to take three years and be finished in 2004.
The museum trust has made its application to the Government for all the money needed so it can be considered for next year's Budget.
The director of the museum, Dr Rodney Wilson, said yesterday that the institution would be 150 years old in 2002, making it the oldest museum in the country.
"That is the year we want to start building. It is a birthday present to ourselves ... or a birthday present from the Government," he said.
Auckland councils, which also fund the museum, will meet the depreciation and operating costs once the development is completed.
"While the Government is being asked for a healthy contribution it is over three years and a once-off," said Dr Wilson.
The museum is one of the country's most popular attractions. In the year to June 30, it recorded 428,688 visitors.
The oldest or front part of the present museum building was completed in 1929 as a memorial to the sacrifice of those who fought in the First World War.
The second, southern, curved part of the building was completed in 1960 as a memorial to those who served in the Second World War.
The completion project will centre on a 1800 sq m courtyard left virtually undeveloped in the 1960 addition.
This year, the museum celebrated the opening of the $43 million first stage of its redevelopment with restoration and seismic strengthening of the building as well as revamped exhibitions.
But in 70 years no new exhibition space has been added to the museum.
The completion project's new two basement levels, ground floor, and three above-ground levels will include a 950 sq m exhibition gallery - big by international standards - as well as much-needed storage space for the museum's collections, a truck dock, workshops, a 200-seat theatre, a new learning centre for schools, a Maori workshop area open to the public, new cafes and rooms for staff and volunteers.
The most ambitious part of the project will be a rooftop restaurant under a low dome and a rooftop events and garden area with some of the most stunning views of Auckland, the Waitemata Harbour and the inner Hauraki Gulf.
It will be the first time museum visitors have access up onto the roof.
An additional all-weather entrance at the southern end of the building will be provided for tour coaches.
Ancient public lavatories throughout the building will also be upgraded and more opportunities for shopping are in the plan.
Aucklanders provided $20 million of the stage one redevelopment, and the trust board says this makes it appropriate for the Government to be approached to pay for the second-stage completion project.
War Memorial Museum Completion Project
Auckland Museum trust wants $46m
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.