17 November 2017
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Museum closure - one year on
Inquiry
It is the one-year anniversary of the museum's sudden closure on Saturday so we're doing a story. As it has been an evolving story all year, I just wanted to clarify a few facts so we don't use any old information.
1. Where are all the exhibition items now (having been removed from the museum after it closed)
1a. In particular, where are the items that were moved to the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre since that building has now closed too?
1b. Where will these items be stored in the event the building is not reopened as a museum?
1c. In total, how many items have been removed?
2. When are the costs for the four options expected to be revealed? (in our October story it said three months)
3. Is option four still the preferred option for repairs?
4. What is the total revenue lost in the 12 months since the museum's closure?
5. To this day is it still the case that the damage from the earthquake was limited to the historical central part of the building?
6. What has been the impact (aside from financial), if any, of the museum being closed?
Comment from the mayor was requested
Comment was also sought from Destination Rotorua as per the following:
We're doing a one-year-on type story about the Rotorua Museum closure so I was hoping to get some comment from Michelle about the ultimate impact its closure has had on tourism.
While I imagine the overall impact on tourism is small, I see there's been a number of one and two star reviews about the museum itself (TripAdvisor) since its closure.
Also from a tourism point of view, how vital is it for the museum to be repaired and reopened to the public? Is it something you guys are pushing for, regardless of cost?
Response
There has been no change in the status of the museum building since the detailed seismic assessment which found it fell well below earthquake safety standards with most of the building at 15% of the National Building Standard (33% or below is earthquake prone), meaning it would require substantial work before it could be open to the public again.
Detailed design and costing for the preferred option for the museum is progressing and once complete, will be presented to elected members. The detailed work is expected to take another few months.
Remember the situation with the museum is very different to the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre which has been considered for an upgrade - along with seismic strengthening - for some years now. Consultation with the arts community regarding this dates back to 2014.
Both buildings were identified several years ago as being an earthquake risk - along with the iSite and Community House - and Council then had a timeframe by which to undertake detailed seismic assessments and strengthening work.
Initial assessments determine if a building is an earthquake risk and detailed assessments are the next step, used to determine if a building is earthquake prone and therefore requires more extensive strengthening work.
With regards to the museum you will recall that several options were explored with engineers and the preferred option includes replacing the roof with a more lightweight option, inserting bracing into walls, installation of a new sub-floor and other strengthening work.
Here's a breakdown of attendance at museum-run events, exhibitions, free tours and programmes during the past year:
Event attendance 7512 people
Exhibition attendance 16,262 people
Educational attendance 7571 people
Free Tours attendance 3000 people
34,345 people
From Rotorua Lakes Council Arts and Culture Director Stewart Brown:
Many permanent exhibition items have remained in the Rotorua Museum building in the south wing, which is above the earthquake safety threshold. About 100 items are now in storage, having been removed from other parts of the building. This includes items from the permanent Taking the Cure exhibition (which was based in the north wing) and the 10 marble Summers sculptures which had been in the museum for more than 100 years.
What happens with these artworks in the long term will depend on decisions made regarding the museum.
The Da Vinci Machines & Robots exhibition which was on display at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre was a touring display. Nearly 14,000 visitors viewed the exhibition during its three months in Rotorua. More recently SHMPAC hosted the month-long exhibition of 48 finalist works submitted for the Rotorua Museum Art Awards 2017. Other entries were exhibited at the library.
Many people are still visiting the Government Gardens and photographing the museum and the museum team has worked hard to ensure we continue to tell the stories of Rotorua and engage with both locals and visitors, moving beyond the walls' to achieve this.
The museum team has hosted 48 events, exhibitions, tours and educational programmes attended by more than 34,000 people during the past year. Our volunteers have been fantastic, taking free daily tours through the Government Gardens which about 3000 people have enjoyed to date and these continue, weather dependent, starting outside the museum at 11am and 2pm daily.
We continue to provide educational programmes, which more than 7570 students from around the country have attended during the past year. More than 60% of those students are locals.
And we've had the successful exhibitions in SHMPAC. [see above re Da Vinci and art awards]
It's not possible to say exactly how much revenue has been lost as a result of the museum closure but revenue had averaged about $2.1m annually since 2014 (from entry fees, retail sales and the museum caf). This year's Lions Tour and the Lions Tour match in Rotorua had been expected to provide an additional boost.
We're looking for ways to generate some revenue and one of our most popular previous exhibitions, AEIOU, has been prepared as a touring exhibition. Revenue from that will contribute to future exhibitions.
From Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick:
We all love our museum and it's sad to see her closed but because of the complexity of this historic building, we need to take the time to do everything properly. We need to take a long-term view and we need to remain patient to allow the experts to do the work that will support our decisions.
I remain very confident all the right steps are being taken so that we can make the right decision for our community.
Our wonderful museum team, including our passionate volunteers, haven't let this stop them and they are to be congratulated for how they've innovated to find solutions. They've taken the museum outside the walls, sharing our important Rotorua stories and history through the Government Gardens tours, and they've continued on with educational programmes for schools and other projects.
From Destination Rotorua CE Michelle Templer:
We don't believe the closure has had much of an impact on visitor numbers and are extremely fortunate that Rotorua has so many other quality experiences for holidaymakers to enjoy.
The Rotorua Museum is an iconic building and one of the most photographed in New Zealand. Even though it is not currently open for visits, it is great to see so many of our visitors still take advantage of the beyond the walls tours or admire the architecture and share photos of this building that means so much to the people of Rotorua.
Telling the local stories and sharing the history of a region is an integral part of any community. While decisions have yet to be made about the museum's future, it is positive that the team there continue to hold events and exhibitions in alternative venues and that volunteers have continued to provide twice daily tours explaining the building and area's rich history and showcasing the beautiful government gardens.