Te Papa level to close for at least nine months for repairs

By RNZ

One of Te Papa’s floor levels is to be closed down for at least nine months for repairs after rust was found in a sprinkler system.

The national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, plans to close down the upper level of its art gallery Toi Te Papa from May 19.

Te Papa communications leader Kate Camp said the corrosion on the museum’s fifth level was found in mid-2023 during an inspection, and the sprinkler system must be replaced.

However, it was not yet known exactly how long the repairs would take or how long the gallery would remain closed.

It comes as the future of Wellington City Gallery, one of the country’s leading art galleries, faces uncertainty as nearby demolition and construction have led to it only operating for a few evening hours each day and the future closure of its main entrance.

Te Papa houses the national art collection of more than 40,000 artworks, and the fifth level is used to display them.

No other parts of the museum are affected, and the art gallery space on the fourth level will remain open throughout the fifth level’s closure.

Toi Te Papa opened in 2018 at a cost of $8.4 million.

- RNZ