Tauranga’s first museum will open in 2028, but work on it has already begun. Local Democracy Reporting toured the city’s heritage collection and met the people who will bring the museum to life.

In May, the main construction on Tauranga’s $128.4m civic whare, museum and exhibition centre is expected to begin.

It’s a milestone with a lot of history – in more ways than one.

From the 25 years of discussions and multiple failed attempts to get a museum off the ground, to the carefully collated collection of artifacts dating back to the 14th century.

Part of Tauranga City Council’s $306 million Te Manawataki o Te Papa civic precinct nestled between Willow St and Durham St in the city centre, piling works for the structure were finished in December.

The museum is expected to open for business in 2028 but already has a small team working on it.

Tauranga museum director Greg McManus’ reason for taking the job was a “selfish motivation”.

He has been in the role for almost two years and oversees everything from air conditions within the museum to securing its first big exhibit.

"I want to be part of building something completely new for a city that’s never had one."

“I just really love projects, and I really love building things and seeing how they can change communities.”

Artist impression of the $128.4 million civic whare, museum and exhibition centre. Image / Tauranga City Council

Before taking the role in Tauranga, McManus spent 10 years as the chief executive of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

He built the Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi and Te Rau Aroha Museum of the Price of Citizenship.

He was also director of the Rotorua Museum for 15 years.

Being a self-confessed “museum guy”, McManus said a city having one was vital.

When travelling, one of the first things he did was go to a museum to learn about where he would be spending his time.

It was “really important” people could go to their local museum and see themselves and learn about how they got to where they are, he said.

“Most New Zealanders know very little about what happened in New Zealand in the 19th century.

“We have a really important role to play in that, promoting the ideas of diversity and tolerance. Not being afraid to tell the difficult stories.”

Museums were also a tourism drawcard and one goal of Te Manawataki o Te Papa was to be an attraction that kept people, especially cruise ship passengers, in the city, he said.

Many travelled to Hobbiton in Matamata or to Rotorua for the myriad cultural experiences it offered.”, McManus said.

“I’m a museum person first and foremost, but I’m also a tourism person and museums play a really important role in tourism in New Zealand.”

A sword and scabbard owned by Captain Arthur Algernon Crapp. Photo / John Borren.

Tourism New Zealand statistics showed after shopping, visiting museums and galleries was one of the top three things overseas tourists did, he said.

“There’s the soft, community-building cultural side of things, which is our main reason for being, and then there’s a tourism side of it, which is how we get money to pay for that.”

The precinct is unlikely to be self-sustaining – projected running costs are $30m a year.

The city’s heritage collection would also get a chance to see the light of day.

More than 35,000 pieces of history are housed in two warehouses in Mount Maunganui.

The collection was started by the Tauranga Historical Society in 1969, with the support of Tauranga City Council

It includes everything from postage stamps to local icon Dusty Waddell’s collection of 130 Kiwi surfboards and surfing memorabilia.

McManus said about 10% of the museum’s collection would be on display at any time, but the displays would change to tell new stories.

The two large, temporary galleries would enable the museum to host overseas exhibitions like a Lego or Formula One racing cars exhibit.

Tauranga museum curator Fiona Kean with Dusty Waddell’s collection of 130 Kiwi surfboards. Photo / John Borren

Museum curator Fiona Kean said the collection had everything you would expect from a museum.

They have about 5000 textile items, from curtains once belonging to Napoleon to a line of locally made Expozay swimwear.

The brand was started by Tauranga residents Tony and Judy Alvos in 1976.

Viewing the collection online brought back instant childhood memories of playing at the Mount beach and the need to find the photo of my mum wearing the exact bikini that is now a museum piece.

There are photos, WWI and II memorabilia, a native animal taxidermy diorama used in schools and game fishing marlin casts that once hung in the iconic Oceanside Hotel. The popular watering hole was demolished in 1995 to make way for high-rise apartments.

“It’s quite varied and when we get the museum it will really help to give some depth to the objects as well,” said Kean.

The taonga store has 12,000 mainly Māori and Polynesian artefacts.

The rarest is a 14th-century wooden canoe bailer that was found in Tauriko in the 1980s and restored over six years.

Te Pou Arahi cultural heritage manager Dean Flavell and museum collection specialist Chelsea Tairi with a 14th-century wooden canoe bailer. Photo / John Borren

Te Pou Arahi cultural heritage manager Dean Flavell said it showed the early Polynesian arrival to Aotearoa.

“It’s exploring that whole idea of when people come to a new place, they explore and they utilise some of the material that they find.”

About 90% of the taonga collection, which includes poupou and epa panels from marae and stone tools used to build pā, was found in the Western Bay of Plenty, Flavell said.

He has worked at the council for 25 years and said he had seen every rendition of a museum, but this one felt different.

“The timing is right, as a city we’re ready to explore our history.”

Museum educator Megan Hoskin brings the museum to life at schools through the Hands on Tauranga object lending library. 

The free service has 250 objects loaned to schools that are organised by curriculum areas.

The 14th-century wooden canoe bailer was found in Tauriko in the 1980s. Photo / John Borren

Teachers can book any collection via the website and it’s delivered to the school.

“Teachers are just getting these incredible museum objects in their classroom,” said Hoskin.

“There’s two generations now missed out on the museum, but the next best thing is they’re actually getting the objects in their hands.”

The rock and fossils collection was the most popular and gave children a chance to hold a set of moa bones, she said.

While Tauranga waits for its museum, people can view the collection by becoming a Friend of Tauranga Museum.

The free membership gives people access to collection tours, collection talks and historic walks.

More than 18,000 pieces of the heritage collection are also available to view online.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.