A contract to build a new museum in Waikouaiti will be signed this week.
Waikouaiti District Museum Society president Bill Lang, speaking at The East Otago Events Centre, announced there was a contract for Southern Steel Building to begin construction of a 275sq m museum wing at the Waikouaiti Coast Heritage Centre.
To have a building contract nearly signed felt ''brilliant'', he said.
He announced to about 20 people at the public meeting that the society had raised more than $410,000 to begin the construction of the ''L-shape'' building.
The building would be behind the existing centre, an R. A. Lawson-designed bank chamber, on State Highway 1.
It would include a main display area, research and retail areas, reception and visitor information, kitchen, toilet, multiroom and storage. The weatherboard building would have no windows, to control the levels of light, moisture and humidity.
Cherry trees would be planted near the glass entrance of the museum and in time, the new building and bank chamber would be connected, he said.
Society vice-president Shirley McKewen said the museum would ''display and store the local heritage for future generations to admire and learn from''.
