The Waikouaiti Museum committee wants to build a 400sq m stand-alone visitors centre behind the museum.
An upgrade is also proposed for the museum building, which was built in 1869 as a Bank of New Zealand branch.
The new building, which will also include storage and display areas, is needed because of the lack of storage space in the museum building, museum committee member Shirley McEwan said at the recent Waikouaiti Coast Community Board forum.
A conservation area, storerooms and toilets would be included in the proposed building. The new visitors centre would be open seven days a week. It was hoped to employ two local people.
A computer terminal would be set up for genealogical research, Mrs McEwan said.
More than 10,000 items are held by the Waikouaiti museum. Some items are held away from the museum because of the lack of storage space and the value of the items, she said.
The museum building, on Waikouaiti's Main Rd, carried a historic places trust category two listing, Mrs McEwan said.
It was possible this listing might be upgraded to category one, she said. A category one listing could attract funds for the upgrading of the building, which had structural problems, she said.
Money for the new visitors centre and the restoration of the museum was being sought from the Dunedin Heritage Fund and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.
