The Waikouaiti Museum committee wants to build a 400sq m
stand-alone visitors centre behind the museum.
An upgrade is also proposed for the museum building, which
was built in 1869 as a Bank of New Zealand branch.
The new building, which will also include storage and display
areas, is needed because of the lack of storage space in the
museum building, museum committee member Shirley McEwan said
at the recent Waikouaiti Coast Community Board forum.
A conservation area, storerooms and toilets would be included
in the proposed building. The new visitors centre would be
open seven days a week. It was hoped to employ two local
people.
A computer terminal would be set up for genealogical
research, Mrs McEwan said.
More than 10,000 items are held by the Waikouaiti museum.
Some items are held away from the museum because of the lack
of storage space and the value of the items, she said.
The museum building, on Waikouaiti's Main Rd, carried a
historic places trust category two listing, Mrs McEwan said.
It was possible this listing might be upgraded to category
one, she said. A category one listing could attract funds for
the upgrading of the building, which had structural problems,
she said.
Money for the new visitors centre and the restoration of the
museum was being sought from the Dunedin Heritage Fund and
the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.
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