Settlers museum to shift gear during redevelopment

The Otago Settlers Museum will be "doing things differently", including providing more information via the internet, as well as touring exhibitions and outreach education programmes, when planned redevelopment closes much of the museum complex.

Construction of a climate-controlled storage building, the first stage of the museum's estimated $35 million redevelopment project, has been completed.

Stage two work, which began this month, involves the redevelopment of the museum's heritage-listed former NZR bus station, including replacing the station garage roof.

This area was previously used for artefact storage but will become part of an expanded exhibition space for some of the museum's heritage treasures when the overall redevelopment is completed in late 2012.

Museum director Linda Wigley said the museum faced "major challenges", including maintaining public services, during the redevelopment.

However, this would also be an "exciting period", offering the chance to do things differently, including by making more museum information available via the internet.

Thousands of 19th century portrait images, including of early European settlers of Otago, had been stored digitally, and would also be made available electronically, museum officials said.

The museum would try some new approaches and hoped to connect with some new audiences, Ms Wigley said.

Parts of the museum will be progressively closed to the public throughout this year as specific construction work begins.

Museum officials said most of the museum would remain closed next year and throughout much of 2012, but key museum services would be provided in the bus station ticketing hall over that period.

Ms Wigley said the museum's Scottish story and some other displays would remain available there, and visitors could also access some key archival information electronically at a hall facility.

It was intended to create some touring exhibitions, and the museum would also offer educational outreach programmes involving other facilities such as the Dunedin Gasworks Museum and Port Chalmers Museum.

The museum's pre-Christmas Pixie Town attraction would still be offered and the museum's Walk Dunedin programme would also continue, she said.

Construction work in the bus station and nearby areas - other than the garage area - would start on April 12, with overall bus station work due for completion by November 30.

- john.gibb@odt.co.nz