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Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum Society is seeking more than $8 million from Christchurch ratepayers to go towards a permanent home for its collection.
The society has made a submission to Christchurch City Council’s Long Term Plan 2027-2037, requesting $8m as part of a wider campaign to rebuild the museum.
The society said in its submission it would be a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to restore a cultural institution.
“This is an investment in place, people and partnership, one that will serve Lyttelton, the harbour communities and Christchurch for generations to come, and we are committed to opening the doors to Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum,” the submission stated.
The funding would be staggered over a three-year period — $3m in 2027, $4m in 2028 and $1m in 2029.
It has also requested annual operational funding support of $434,037 once the museum is up and running.
The former museum opened in 1969 but had to be demolished in 2012 after suffering major earthquake damage.
About 95% of its collection was recovered after the quakes, the majority of which is held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Wigram. The most sensitive items remain in climate-controlled storage.
The society launched a community campaign, Bring Our Collection and Stories Home, in July to raise $12.6m to get a home for the more than 20,000 taonga in its collection.
The society is also seeking money from central government, individuals, businesses, philanthropic organisations, trusts and the community.
Society president Christine Korako did not respond to questions about the museum’s funding request.
Earlier this month, Korako said: “Whakaraupō is where the histories of mana whenua, European settlement, maritime trade, Antarctic exploration and community resilience come together.
"This museum will ensure those histories are preserved, celebrated and shared for generations to come.”
Korako will meet with Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board members on Monday to seek their support.
City council staff are set to present a report in response to the society’s proposal at the October 7 city council meeting.
The proposal has strong backing from Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, which has been involved since the earliest design stages and provided the name Te Ūaka.
The construction of the museum would take place in four stages as fundraising milestones are met, allowing it to open progressively.
The funding requested from the city council would enable it to complete its first stage of construction and deliver a soft opening.
The first stage of the $12.6m project is estimated to cost $8,784,637. The museum would be built at 33-35 London St, which was gifted to the society in 2017 for that purpose.
Other locations were considered, including the Woolstore building on the waterfront.
In the society’s submission to the city council, it noted Lyttelton Port Company did not offer its Woolstore building as a viable site for the museum. It did offer adjacent land identified as potentially available in the longer term.
The society has previously met with LPC to discuss the future of the Woolstore building at Te Ana Marina. It was converted from a woolstore in 2018 as part of LPC’s marina development. It was intended to house retail and hospitality businesses but has remained vacant.
The museum would be a mixed-use building with permanent and rotating exhibitions running 363 days a year.
Visitor numbers are estimated to be between 35,000 and 50,000.
The museum would have three full-time staff: Director, curator and visitor experience lead. The society said it will be designed around self-guided experiences with clear way-finding. Visitors to the museum could pay an admission fee of $10-$20.
The society said Te Ūaka could be more than a museum, offering a “civic and cultural hub” for a number of purposes, including visitor information, emergency response and a collaborative space for artists.