Facing continued funding pressures, the Otago Museum is forming closer links with the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum and other Dunedin cultural institutions.
Closer ties are also being developed with museums elsewhere in the country.
Last week, Otago Museum hosted a meeting of many of the country's museum heads and yesterday Otago Museum director Dr Ian Griffin met Te Papa chief executive Michael Houlihan in Dunedin. Dr Griffin said public funding in the museum sector remained tight.
''One of the things that we have to do is to look at all potential collaborations,'' he said in an interview.
''It's fit and proper that everybody [in the sector] does try to work together.''
Closer collaboration with the Dunedin City Council-owned Toitu museum and other institutions could provide significant benefits.
Those benefits could come in many forms, and he agreed they could potentially include economies of scale in some purchasing.
Toitu acting chief executive Jennifer Evans said it was too early to comment in detail on what form closer links between the two museums could take and she was continuing to discuss matters with Dr Griffin.
Otago Museum has rejoined Museums Aotearoa, the national museums body, after pulling out some years ago.
