Workers complete finishing touches in front of Te Unua Museum of Southland on Friday, September 4. Photo: Tayler Mutton

Entry to the new Museum of Southland is likely to be free for locals, but visitors may be asked to pay.

Councillors will decide on Tuesday what to charge for admissions to the long-awaited museum, expected to open in October 2027.

Invercargill City Council group manager community spaces and places Rex Capil said construction was  set to be complete by the end of September.

“When you are building a significant regional facility like Te Unua from scratch, there is a huge number of different work streams to balance as you go.”

Different admission fee scenarios would  be considered, examining approaches to local, domestic and international visitors.

The recommendation to council would be an “active giving approach,” he said.

This option would offer free general admission, supported by voluntary visitor commissions while still leaving opportunities to develop alternative  revenue streams.

He said sector benchmarking, case studies and professional expertise showed that charging admissions reduced visitation and participation.

Deciding the correct admissions structure involved more than just revenue, with there also needing to be considerations around cultural significance and community involvement.

He said an official opening date would be confirmed closer to completion also adding that much of the project relied on other pieces of work being completed, including exhibits.

“The final installation of the exhibitions has to be staggered, because of each of the galleries they’ll go into are interconnected and rely on shared access routes, loading areas, and staging spaces.”

“Our staff also have to carefully sequence their work to make sure exhibitions, and the objects and taoka within them are delivered safely and effectively.”

Data from the Southland Museum and Art Gallery showed  there was no one-size-fits-all approach to museum admission fees, he said.

The committee will make its recommendation for the admissions structure to the city council on 22 September, in budget consultation for the upcoming long term plan. — Allied Media