Museum project momentum grows

Artists impression of the new Whakatane Museum Research Centre. Photo/Supplied

Construction on the redevelopment of the Whakatane Museum Research Centre is on track to start in the middle of this year.

Whakatane Museum and Arts said in a media statement today registrations of interest for the construction of the facility closed earlier this month and tenders would be called for the $5m project shortly.

The redevelopment will see a southern extension built into Burgess Park and the existing building upgraded. The new facility will house a public research centre providing greater access to the museum's rich collection, a multifunctional education space for children, and climate control for the museum collection ensuring it's preservation for the future.

Museum staff will be relocating some collections off-site over the next few months in preperation for the construction and as a result the Whakatane Museum Research Centre will be closed to the public from March 6 until the redevelopment is completed in mid-2018.

Research services will be unavailable and a moratorium will be placed on donations to the collection. The photographic collection will remain available at Te Koputu a te whanga a Toi - Whakatane Library and Exhibition Centre and the museum will continue to process photographic requests as time and resources allow.

Throughout the year a number of events are planned to involve the community and allow people to show their support for the museum and the redevelopment.