Snapshots of Tauranga #53

Our future Tauranga Museum has been slowly but steadily rising, part of the Te Manawataki o Te Papa city centre redevelopment. I’m excited in a calm, patient way for its opening, and I need to be as it’s not opening until 2028. It’s way overdue for a city the size of Tauranga to have one that showcases all our taonga (treasure) and the privilege of sharing exhibitions from overseas.

The building itself is an eye-catching delight, evoking a sense of pride as you walk past and note the progress towards its grand opening in July 2028.

It’s now June, and winter is slowly descending on us, and so is the beginning of the roof of our new Museum. Once this is completed in the next few months and the building progressively closes in, work will begin on the internal finishing and detailing.

It must be noted that we are not the only city with a major new museum being built. Some at a scale we can only imagine, and all of them will change visitor behaviour in the places where they are located. There are also several new museums and redevelopment projects happening in New Zealand, including the Tauranga Museum, of course.

One major redevelopment is the Canterbury Museum, which is due for completion in
2029, which is one place I have on my future travel plans. Christchurch as a whole is a city that I am looking forward to reintroducing myself to, hopefully next year. As a bonus, I may have the opportunity to take our niece, a varsity student, out to dinner and catch up.

As with many places in New Zealand, there is ongoing earthquake strengthening and opportunistic renovations to many public buildings, and the Rotorua Museum is one of those due to reopen in late 2028 after such work is completed.

Another reason to book a trip down south is the South Island city of Timaru, which is undergoing construction of a new museum as part of a new cultural precinct. Lastly, and further down south, is Invercargill’s Museum, which is due for completion in 2027.

I think it’s obvious that people are making significant investments in their communities, which underscores the importance of museums and galleries worldwide. We all know that “roads, water and footpaths are things that make it possible to live in a city, whereas museums, libraries and galleries are things that make it worth living in a city.”

Heading Overseas? Look out for New Innovative Museums

Museums have always been a part of our exploration when travelling, it’s a different viewing platform to accumulate more information about a country’s culture and history. It’s people today. Also, showcasing exhibitions from around the world, which is one aspect of our new Museum, is something I am very much looking forward to seeing, as one day, travelling long distances won’t be as attractive as it has been and will be in my short-term future plans.

As I pointed out, with the amount of new museum developments here in New Zealand and worldwide, we could surmise that 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for museums, with a wave of new openings and major redevelopments highlighting how the sector continues to evolve.

For those who are heading towards Los Angeles after September this year, you may want to check out the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, founded by filmmaker George Lucas.
This innovative Museum will explore storytelling across film, illustration and visual art, reflecting a growing interest in narrative-driven experiences. Set on an 11-acre campus, the Museum will be dedicated to narrative storytelling and will feature works from Norman Rockwell, Beatrix Potter, Frida Kahlo and Windsor McCay. The Museum will also include the Lucas Archives, which include models, props and costumes from George Lucas’
film career.

Meanwhile, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is set to become one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world, with a strong emphasis on global perspectives beyond the traditional Western canon. First announced in 2006 and originally planned to open in 2012, Abu Dhabi’s long-awaited Guggenheim Museum is expected to welcome the
public this year. Located on Saadiyat Island, the Museum will feature a global collection of post-1960s works, with a focus on indigenous art and underrepresented artists.

Opening on 28 November 2026, Kanal will be Europe’s largest development of modern and contemporary art. Located at a former Citroen car factory in the centre of Brussels, the space, designed by Atelier Kanal, will include facilities from live music and performance venues to a
bookshop and library. Kanal will open with ten exhibitions that span art and architecture,
ranging from collection displays to group exhibitions and site-specific installations.

Do you notice a common theme emerging: museums are becoming more immersive, inclusive, and ambitious in scale? They are not only places to view collections, but spaces designed to tell stories, foster connections, and engage diverse audiences.

For us, museum supporters, these international developments offer both inspiration and insight into how museums worldwide are reimagining their role in the 21st century.