KEY POINTS:
Auckland Museum's "daring and exciting" $100 million-plus atrium was shown off to 400 invited guests, including the Prime Minister, last night.
And today the doors will open for the public to have a gander behind the scenes in an open day.
Helen Clark said the museum had "long been a source of great pride" and described the atrium as "imaginative, daring and exciting".
More than 12 years in the making and with a $113 million price tag, the atrium houses a seven-storey-high kava bowl structure in three tiers - a learning centre, an auditorium and an event centre.
"It enhances the museum's capability on many levels also in the interpretation and portrayal of the stories it tells," said Helen Clark.
Construction manager Mark Katterns said designers spent nine months planning the building before more than 250 workers spent 2 years labouring on it.
Vaka Moana, an exhibition that looks at the exploration of the Pacific, also opens today.
The museum also gave the family of Sir Hugh Kawharu a posthumous medal for his support over several decades.
