Two people are to replace former Dunedin Public Art Gallery and Otago Settlers Museum director Priscilla Pitts, with the organisations reverting to separate management structures.
Dunedin City Council community life general manager Graeme Hall announced the change yesterday.
Ms Pitts left her position in September last year to join the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in Wellington.
The change has come following a report by former Auckland War Memorial Museum director Dr Rodney Wilson and will mean an extra $213,000 in salary for the council to pay.
Mr Hall said the change to two managers was in line with recommendations in the report as well as Ms Pitts' view that having one person in charge of both institutions was not the best way to run them.
She had found it difficult to run both and thought the council should "seriously look at the issue".
The council would be looking for people with a passion for the institutions, not just management skills, Mr Hall said.
Asked if the city could compete with salaries offered in other cities, Mr Hall said "yes and no."
He expected aspects of the positions - the rich collection of art at the art gallery and the chance to lead the redevelopment of the settlers museum - to make them more attractive to applicants.
"They may not then expect to have that top salary."
Mr Hall said he expected the move would get a favourable response from the arts community, as the council had worked with stakeholders during its review.
The process of advertising and selecting the new managers would begin immediately and he hoped both appointments could be made by December 1.
Dunedin's heritage was very important for the city, Mr Hall said.
"We really need to push this."
