Rotorua Museum renovation project on track for completion in 2025

A 2020 artist impression of the museum’s historic corridor was used as an example of elements of the old design that may be kept.

Building consent for the Rotorua Museum renovation project, which is still short at least $18 million in funding, will be sought in November.

At a public meeting at Rotorua Library this week, Rotorua Lakes Council arts and culture director Stewart Brown said complete and detailed designs for the project were expected to be completed in several weeks.

The newly elected Rotorua Lakes Council would then be able to make the next decision on the Rotorua Museum in December.

Rotorua Lakes Council arts and culture director Stewart Brown presented an update of the Rotorua Museum project to the public on Wednesday. Photo / Maryana Garcia

Brown said the project was still scheduled to reopen in 2025.

"What's important here is we do it right," he said after the meeting.

"The museum has been part of our community for about 115 years and it needs to be around for another 115 years at least.

"I think everyone will be happy with the end result."

But $18m to $20m still needed to be raised for the building.

Brown said applications for funding had been made and were in progress.

The building's renovation has funding so far of $53.5m.

Funders include the Government, through the Provincial Growth Fund ($17m) and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage ($5m), as well as the Rotorua Trust ($10m) and the Lotteries Grants Board ($6m).

Rotorua Lakes Council pledged $15.5m to the project. In June, the council confirmed $6.3m had been spent.

The museum has been closed since 2016 due to seismic concerns following the Kaikoura earthquake.

Rotorua Museum cafe corridor false ceiling deconstruction photographed in 2020. Photo / Supplied

Investigations of the structure in 2017 revealed the building was at 19 per cent of the New Building Standard, a way of measuring a building's seismic performance relative to a new building.

Initial designs for the renovation were deemed too costly and a "structural design reset" happened late in 2020.

Brown said the new designs would be more respectful of the heritage of the building and "a lot simpler".

In his presentation, he used artist impressions created in 2020 to illustrate elements of the old design that would be kept.

The new structural plans would include carbon-fibre strips and cross-laminated timber panels to strengthen existing structures.

"We're still achieving 80 per cent new building standards. It's buildable, it's less invasive, it's fast and it's more cost-effective."

Brown said the new plans would also take advantage of the building's strengths.