Maori, Pacific galleries at Auckland Museum to stay shut until 2029
However, the museum has opened Te Ripo o te Moana, featuring many of the same objects, now asbestos-free.
The Māori and Pacific galleries at Auckland Museum are set to remain closed until 2029, four years after asbestos was discovered in May 2025. The Grand Foyer reopened five months later, but work on the other galleries continues due to the complex nature of asbestos remediation and changes in regulations. Approximately 2,100 out of 3,000 artifacts have been cleaned, with staff currently dismantling the pataka, a traditional Māori storehouse.
Once the asbestos is cleared, likely by June next year, the museum plans to begin a comprehensive renovation of the ground floor infrastructure, including air conditioning, lighting, wiring, flooring, and display cases. A new Māori gallery, Te Ripo o te Moana, opened last week to fill the gap left by the closures, featuring familiar objects and rarely displayed items.
Auckland Museum is seeking additional funding from either Auckland Council or the central government to support the ongoing renovation, but these discussions are ongoing, and the museum is currently funding the project from a deficit while deferring other projects. Future funding for the museum will be considered by councillors as part of the next long-term plan in 2027.
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