The former Dominion Museum and National Art Gallery, also known as the National Museum, completed in 1936 was the home of many of New Zealand’s most important treasures and is also one of the best examples of Stripped Classical design in New Zealand.
The former National Museum had its origins in the establishment of the Colonial Museum in 1865. Later renamed the Dominion Museum (1907) it was built in the Government Reserve behind the General Assembly (later Parliament Buildings). The first director of the museum was James Hector “the father of New Zealand science”. It was his successor, Augustus Hamilton, who began pressing the Government for a new building to house the large and ever growing collection. However, it was not until 1924 that the Government agreed to set aside money for the construction of a new facility, with a condition that any subsidy had to be matched by public donation. The Government promised a sum of £75, 000 later increased to £100,000, the remaining amount was met by public subscription.[1]
In 1928, an approach was made by the Carillon Society which had cast bells for a memorial. It was decided to incorporate the National War Memorial and Carillon on the site as well. The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts agreed to contribute its properties and collections to the new museum as long as they would be permanently housed there. This was achieved by the passing of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum Act 1930. The site chosen for the museum, which would now also incorporate the National War Memorial and Carillon, as well as the National Art Gallery, was that of the former Mt Cook Barracks, and from 1870, the brick Mt Cook gaol. A national architecture competition was held to find a suitable designer for what was being recognised as the most important public buildings to be constructed at the time. The competition was won by Auckland architectural firm Gummer and Ford.[2]
The Mt Cook gaol was demolished and construction of the first structure – the Carillon, which was opened in 1932 (the hall of memories was not officially completed until 1964) began. The construction of the museum building began in 1933 to Gummer and Ford’s design, a monumental and imposing structure of three storeys in the Stripped Classical style. It was constructed in reinforced concrete and partially faced with Putaruru stone. The roof was clad with copper sheathing and glass. A large central portico supported by square fluted pillars dominates the main façade.
The internal spaces were constructed around a main gallery, known as the Maori Hall. The National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum was officially opened in 1936 by the Governor General Viscount Galway on the 1st of August.[3]
During World War Two the building was closed to the public and used for defence purposes. At this time a number of underground structures were built beneath the museum. The collections were moved out of the building for the duration of the war. It was not until 1949 that the museum reopened for the public.[1]
The museum was renamed the National Museum in 1972, but it was soon facing the same problems that it had in the time of Augustus Hamilton – its collection was quickly outgrowing the space. Temporary space was found in the nearby Mt Cook Police Station but the lack of space was becoming an ever pressing concern.[2] The government, in answer to this, established a project development board and the decision was made to move the collections to a new purpose built site. In 1992 the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Act was established that would combine the National Art Gallery and Museum to form the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, known as Te Papa. A competition was then held to design a new building on the Wellington Waterfront that would accommodate the museum and art gallery collections. In 1996 the National/Dominion Museum and National Art Gallery closed and in 1998 Te Papa opened.[3]
The building and associated land were then transferred to the Wellington Tenths Trust. The Trust in association with Massey University redeveloped the building and established it as a part of the Massey University Wellington Campus. This included a renovation of the great hall, and the re-fit of the tea garden as a place for teaching and seminars. Construction and renovation of lecture theatres as well as staff accommodation was also carried out at this time. The work was undertaken by Fletcher Construction and was completed in January 2001. The Massey University building – Tokomaru, as it is now called, is the home of the College of Creative Arts.[4]
This building is now considered to be one of the most significant public buildings constructed in the interwar period, and a major achievement for the architecture firm Gummer and Ford. The design is one of the two best examples in New Zealand of the Stripped Classical architecture style, the other being the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
The Wellington building occupies a dominant site and the building remains visible from a number of different streets. It also helps to create one of New Zealand’s best architectural precincts along with National War Memorial and Carillon. The area to the north of the Carillon and War Memorial is currently being redeveloped (2013-14) to form the National War Memorial Park. The park will be a large open space and has been designed to suit the commemorative ceremonies planned for the Centenary of the First World War. State Highway 1 will be diverted into a tunnel and the space above ground will be re-configured to form a park with views across the city. The park should be completed in time for the Anzac Day 2015 commemorations.
