The new museum is part of a $14 million redevelopment of the Treaty Grounds. The building itself cost about $10 million, paid for by grants from Lottery funds, Foundation North and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, as well as the trust's own money, while the main exhibition will cost $3.5 million.
The building was designed by Whangarei firm HB Architecture and built by Henwood Builders, of Kaikohe.
The finishing touches included completing a state-of-the-art climate control system, to protect artworks and wooden artefacts, and a set of bronze sculptures by Carin Wilson, who also designed the reliefs on the outside walls.
The ground floor will be occupied by a permanent exhibition telling the story of events leading up to the signing of the Treaty, the day itself, and its on-going effects, from the New Zealand Wars through to the present day.
The exhibition was built in Wellington by Workshop e, the company behind the Toitu Otago Settlers' Museum and the Air New Zealand exhibition at Te Papa, and is being assembled on-site.
Waitangi National Trust chief executive Greg McManus said the heart of the exhibition would be the documents room, displaying facsimiles of the nine Treaty sheets.
Technology would feature strongly, with a large number of touch screens and an interactive table allowing visitors to display and share images with each other.
"But we only use technology if it enhances the story. I don't believe in whizz-bang technology for the sake of it," Mr McManus said.
While the Treaty could be a controversial and divisive topic, the exhibition would be based on facts and evidence, not opinion. Scholars such as Claudia Orange and the trust's own Kate Martin had helped shape its content.
"It's not a museum's job to tell people what to think," he said.
One of the museum's aims was to encourage tourists to stay longer in the Bay of Islands, which would benefit everyone in the North. It would also provide a much-needed wet-weather attraction.
More important than that, however, was giving New Zealanders a greater insight into their own history.
Mr McManus hoped the exhibition would break down some of the pre-conceptions around Waitangi, most of which were formed by a few minutes of TV coverage each year as politicians arrived at Te Tii Marae.
"Many people react negatively to the word 'Waitangi,' but when they actually get here their views change completely. The point is to arm people with a little more knowledge. I want people to leave Waitangi as better New Zealanders," he said.
The museum's first floor will include an education room and space for temporary and touring exhibitions. The first such show will feature 50 large-scale images by four top photographers from past Waitangi Day celebrations and protests.
Mr McManus said many locals and Waitangi Day regulars would see photos of themselves that hadn't seen the light for 30 years.
Dutch-born Ans Westra in particular focused on the human face of Waitangi, such as the workers in the marae kitchen, rather than ceremony.
Entry to the museum will be included in the Treaty Grounds admission fee. Far North residents can buy a Friends of Waitangi card for $5, entitling them to free entry. ID and proof of address is required. The museum will open to the public on February 7.
