Pātea museum to temporarily close for part of week

Aotea Utanganui - Museum of South Taranaki will move part of its collection to a new building at 4 Richmond St, Patea. Photo / Supplied

Aotea Utanganui - Museum of South Taranaki is preparing to move part of its collection to a new building.

The Pātea museum will be temporarily closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays while staff make preparations to shift part of its social history collection into a new, architecturally-designed building at 4 Richmond St.

The recently completed facility was built by the South Taranaki District Museum Trust to display large collection items, including the Pātea Freezing Works fire engine and fire tender and other machinery from the district’s past, currently held at the museum.

In line with best practice for the long-term storage of heritage collections, the building is fitted with a fire protection system that includes smoke detectors and a sprinkler system.

South Taranaki District Council libraries and cultural services manager Cath Sheard said the Monday/Tuesday closure would run from May 1 to November 1 so staff could prepare and move the collection from current storage areas to the new site.

“The trust and the council are very excited to see this new facility completed,” Sheard said.

“The temporary closure will help the team concentrate on what the collection storage needs are and prepare an exciting new display for our communities.”

The museum will continue to be open from Wednesday to Saturday every week.